THE  WOMAN 
UESTION 


A(, 


THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 


DMV.  OF  CALIF.  LIBRARY,  LOS  AHGELES 


JOHN  REED   SCOTT'S 
PREVIOUS  SUCCESSES 

THE  COLONEL  OF  THE 
RED  HUZZARS 

A  dashing  love  story  with  a  secret  at 
its  root,  and  danger,  adventure,  and  in- 
trigue in  every  chapter. 

'  So  naively  fresh  in  its  handling,  so 
plausible  through  its  naturalness,  that  it 
comes  like  a  mountain  -  breeze  across  the 
far-spreading  desert  of  similar  romances." 

—Gazette  Times,  Pittsburg. 
Three  full  page  illustrations  in  color,  by 

Clarence  F.  Underwood. 
limo.    Decorated  cloth,  $1.50. 

THE  PRINCESS  DEHRA 

A  captivating  romance  in  which  we 
meet  again  the  characters  of  "  The  Colonel 
of  the  Red  Huzzars." 

"  There  are  situations  involving  the 
principal  characters  which  are  ingenious 
in  conception  and  cleverly  woven  into 
the  story  by  essential  and  natural  sequence, 
and  at  these  situations  the  reader  feels  a 
desire  to  continue  the  story,  even  if  the 
house  be  burning.  He  has  produced  a  story 
that  is  interesting  and  exciting,  without 
being  overdrawn." 

— Boston  Evening  Transcript. 
Four  full -page  illustrations  in  color,  by 

Clarence  F.  Underwood. 
Itmo.    Decorated  cloth,  $1.50. 

BEATRIX  OF  CLARE 

A  fascinating  story,  the  scenes  of  which 
are  laid  in  England  at  the  time  of  Richard 
the  Third.  The  heroine,  the  Countess  of 
Clare,  is  a  beautiful  and  charming  lady  of 
the  court,  a  protegee  of  the  queen. 
"  Brisk  and  vivid." 

— New  York  Evening  Sun. 
Irresistibly  attractive." 

—Philadelphia  North  American. 
Four  full -page  illustrations  in  color,  by 

Clarence  F.  Underwood. 
Umo.    Decorated  cloth,  $1.50. 


"CLEVER!"  HE  SAID,  "CLEVER!  WILL  YOU  SAY  IT  AGAIN,  SIR?" 


Patje  43 


THE  WOMAN 

IN 
QUESTION 


BY 

JOHN  REED  SCOTT 

AUTHOR  OF  "  THE  COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZABS,"  "  BEATRIX  OF  CLARE, 
"THE  PRINCESS  DEHRA,"  KTC. 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  COLOR 
BY    CLARENCE    F.    UNDERWOOD 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  LONDON 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY 

1909 


COPYRIGHT,  1909 
BY  JOHN  REED  SCOTT 


Published  May,  1909 


Printed  by  J.  B.  Lippincott  Company 
The  Washington  Square  Press,  Philadelphia,  U.  S.  A. 


To  MY  FRIENDS 

OF 
EGERTON  AND  NORTHUMBERLAND 


2133021 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I. — THE  WAY  OF  THE  PRESENT 11 

II. — THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PAST 30 

III. — COUNSELLOR  AND  FRIEND 47 

IV. — MILADY  OF  THE  OAKS 63 

V. — THE  DOUBTFUL  ONE  ON  THE  LIST 73 

VI. — AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  STAIRWAY 87 

VII. — PLAYING  THE  PART 105 

VIII. — THE  QUALITY  OF  MERCY 123 

IX. — THE  QUEER  ELEMENT  IN  THE  CASE 140 

X.— THE  SNUFF-BOX 155 

XI. — CONCERNING  HAIR  AND  HOUSEBREAKING 177 

XII. — THE  ROUT  OF  THE  IMPERIAL  GUARD 194 

XIII. — AROUND  THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF 212 

XIV.— THE  ULTIMATUM 232 

XV.— THE  ANSWER 251 

XVI. — KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING 271 

XVII. — THE  PENALTY  OF  THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE....  290 

XVIII. — THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL 308 

XIX. — AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST 330 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

"CLEVER!"  HE  SAID,  "CLEVER!  WILL  YOU  SAY  IT  AGAIN, 
SIR  ?  " Frontispiece 

"MRS.  LEICESTER MRS.  GASCOYNE!  " 98 

"NO!"  HE  EXCLAIMED;  "NO,  HILDA,  i  WON'T." 304 


THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 


THE    WAY    OF    THE    PBESENT 

EVELYN  LEICESTER  put  down  her  parasol,  and, 
lifting  her  gown  generously  in  front,  stepped 
lightly  from  the  victoria.  It  was  a  Saturday 
afternoon  in  early  May — soft,  and  warm,  and 
bright — and  the  club-house  piazza  was  thronged 
with  the  crowd;  the  usual  crowd,  as  Mrs.  Leicester 
knew  it  would  be,  her  intimates  and  her  enemies ; 
and  hence  she  had  chosen  to  come  in  the  victoria 
instead  of  her  car.  It  was  more  uncommon,  maybe, 
certainly  more  dignified,  and  it  gave  her  the  chance 
for  an  effective  entrance — no  flying  veils,  no  un- 
sightly dust-coats,  no  skurrying  in  to  reduce  un- 
kemptness.  Instead,  a  perfect  coiffure,  a  fetching 
toilet,  a  charming  picture — and  yet,  with  it  all,  a 
sweet  unconsciousness,  that  went  straight  to  a  man's 
heart ;  and  to  her  enemy's  too,  though  with  a  very 
different  effect.  And  as  all  her  enemies  were  of 
her  own  sex,  it  will  be  rather  easy  for  those  who  are 
skilled  in  such  matters  to  appreciate  the  nature  of 
that  effect. 

But,  for  it,  Mrs.  Leicester  did  not  care — when  a 
woman  is  well-born,  young,  rich,  and  something  of 
a  beauty,  she  can  afford  to  be  indifferent;  and 

11 


12  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

when,  besides,  she  happens  to  be  a  widow,  just 
burst  from  the  chrysalis  of  crape  and  lavender, 
there  are  only  roseate  skies  to  the  fore — the  depth 
of  the  tint  for  the  immediate  distance  being,  how- 
ever, in  inverse  ratio  to  her  affection  for  the  dear 
departed.  And  as  in  the  present  case  it  had  been 
a  fever  of  infatuation,  with  a  speedy  chill  and  a 
permanent  disillusion,  the  tint  was  of  the  deepest 
from  the  very  first. 

"  Goodness,"  said  Mrs.  Dalton,  "  she  is  in  colors ! 
Is  it  possible  it's  five  years  since  Jack  Leicester 
died?" 

Miss  Stockton  nodded.  "  To  the  very  day,  I 
fancy — doubtless  this  is  the  anniversary  celebra- 
tion." 

"  Then  I  felicitate  her  on  her  costume,"  Mrs. 
Dalton  laughed ;  "  it's  marvellously  effective." 

"  In  revealing  her  figure  or  her  taste?  "  the  other 
asked. 

"  In  revealing  both,  and  both  are  so  perfect  I, 
for  one,  don't  blame  her.  You  and  I,  Sarah,  may 
have  quite  as  exquisite  taste,  but  we  haven't  the 
figure  to  exploit  it." 

Miss  Stockton  looked  at  the  other's  generous 
frame,  thought  of  her  own  lean  one,  and  assented 
with  a  thin-lipped  smile. 

"  At  any  rate,"  she  retorted,  "  I  wouldn't  have 
thought  it  necessary  to  hold  my  gown  quite  so 
high — not  a  man  was  looking." 

"  Nonsense ! — trust  the  men ;  they  all  were  look- 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  PRESENT         13 

ing;  but  that's  not  why  she  did  it;  don't  be  so 
uncharitable — you  know  very  well  a  gown  of  that 
length  must  be  held  up." 

"  And  that's  the  very  reason  she  wears  them ! " 
the  other  snapped ;  then  she  laughed.  "  Come,  that 
wasn't  nice  of  me,  I  admit,  but  Evelyn's  dashing 
beauty  and  calm  indifference  get  on  my  nerves.  I 
wish  I  were  fat,  so  I  hadn't  any." 

"  Bones  or  angles  ?  "  inflected  Mrs.  Dalton  softly. 

"  Both,  it's  a  pity  you  and  I  can't  average. — 
There,  look  at  the  fool  men !  every  dummy  has 
rushed  over  to  her." 

"  And  the  other  three  at  every  table  are  swear- 
ing because  they  can't.  The  woman  whose  mere 
arrival  can  break  up  a  bridge  game  is  forgiven 
much — by  the  men." 

"  To  those  who  have  much,  much  shall  be  for- 
given ! "  Miss  Stockton  quoted  sententiously. 

"  Depending,  of  course,  upon  what  the  much 
happens  to  be — there,  she  has  sent  them  back  and 
is  coming.  .  .  .  My  dear  Evelyn,  what  a  stunning 
gown !  how  nice  it  is  to  see  you  in  colors  again." 

Mrs.  Leicester  smiled.  "  There  isn't  much  dif- 
ference between  lavender  and  blue  so  far  as  effect 
goes,  and  yet  somehow  I  feel  horribly  conspicuous 
— and  I  know  Sarah,  for  one,  won't  call  me  sensi- 
tive." 

"  No,"  said  Miss  Stockton,  "  I  won't ;  but  one 
who  is  as  pretty  as  you,  Evelyn,  doesn't  need  to 
be." 


14  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  No  one  is  sensitive  who  isn't  selfish,"  Mrs. 
Dalton  remarked.  "  Sit  down  and  have  some  tea." 

"  I  can't,  thank  you ;  I'm  promised  to  the  Postle- 
waites,  they  are  on  the  side  piazza." 

With  an  intimate  little  smile  she  passed  on  and 
around  the  corner.  And  if  it  is  ill-bred  to  stare  at 
or  after  another,  then  the  well-bred,  on  the  front 
piazza  of  the  Northumberland  Golf  Club,  would  not 
have  numbered  sufficient  to  make  up  a  four-some. 
Yet  they  could  plead  in  mitigation,  that  one  of  the 
ancient  and  most  cherished  privileges  of  membership 
in  a  Country  Club  is  the  right  to  stare  and  to 
scandalize. 

"  I've  run  the  gantlet !  "  Mrs.  Leicester  laughed, 
dropping  into  a  chair  at  the  Postlewaites'  circle — 
"  no,  not  any  tea,  thank  you,  a  mint-julep  if  I  may 
— and,  Parsons,  plenty  of  shaved  ice,  if  you  please." 

"  Why  didn't  you  come  through  the  house  and 
avoid  the  gantlet  ?  "  said  Colleton  Harwood. 

"  Because  I  wanted  to  have  it  over,  stupid ;  see, 
I'm  back  in  the  world  again." 

"  It  hadn't  occurred  to  me  that  you  were  out  of 
it,  but  now  I  see,  since  you  show  me;  and  the 
blue  is  very  pretty  indeed;  but  a  man  doesn't  care 
greatly  about  the  color  of  a  gown,  so  long  as 
the  tout  ensemble  is  to  his  liking." 

"  I  know  men  who  notice  every  detail  of  a 
woman's  gown." 

"Tailors?" 

"No— not  tailors!" 


15 

"  Then  they  ought  to  be !  "  he  laughed. 

She  sipped  slowly  at  her  julep. 

"  I  suppose,"  he  remarked,  "  I  suppose  it's  be- 
cause my  artistic  sense  has  never  been  sufficiently 
developed." 

"  I  should  say  it's  because  some  of  your  other 
senses  have  been  over  developed,"  she  retorted, 
smiling  into  the  glass. 

He  leaned  a  bit  nearer — "  The  one,  for  instance, 
which  reveals  that  you  are  looking  stunningly  fit, 
this  afternoon?  " 

"  Rather,"  said  she,  her  face  unsmiling,  "  the 
one  that  prompts  you  to  tell  me  so." 

"  But  I  mean  it !  " 

"  Of  course  you  do — but  that  is  not  the  point. 
There  are  a  lot  of  things  I  might  say  to  you,  and 
mean  them  too." 

He  took  her  empty  glass  and  put  it  on  the  table. 

"  There  is  a  team  match  on  with  the  Heights — 
come  along  and  have  a  look  at  it ;  some  of  the  tennis 
will  be  pretty  fast." 

She  regarded  him  uncertainly ;  then,  with  a  word 
of  excuse  to  Mrs.  Postlewaite,  she  arose  and  they 
strolled  out  and  across  the  lawn  toward  the  courts, 
where  the  last  two  pairs  in  singles  were  nearing 
a  finish.  The  match  score  was  four  to  two  for 
Northumberland,  and  the  court  score  sets-all,  with 
the  third  just  begun. 

"  If  we  can  pull  out  one  of  these  matches," 
Harwood  remarked,  as  he  brought  a  couple  of  chairs 


16 

and  put  them  with  their  backs  to  the  sun,  "  we 
will  win  the  cup;  we  are  sure  of  two,  at  least,  in 
the  doubles." 

"  I  thought  you  were  on  the  team,"  she  said. 

"  I  am.      Cartwright  and  I  played  early." 

"You  won?" 

He  nodded.  "  Carty  was  off  his  game,  and  I 
was  rather  better  than  usual.  He  smashed  me  the 
last  time." 

She  glanced  at  his  clothes.  "  Are  you  not  to 
play  in  the  doubles?  " 

"  No — not  unless  we  lose  both  these  sets ;  I  put 
young  Maitland  in  my  place;  to  try  him  out,  with 
some  older  hand  to  steady  him,  before  turning  him 
loose  in  singles.  The  boy  does  very  well  in  prac- 
tice, but  tournament  is  a  very  different  proposi- 
tion." 

For  a  while  they  were  silent,  watching  the  game 
immediately  in  front.  Presently  there  was  a  scatter 
of  applause  from  the  farther  court,  and  the  two 
players  shook  hands  across  the  net. 

"  Which  won?  "  Mrs.  Leicester  asked  quickly. 

"  We  didn't !  "  said  Harwood.  "  I  looked  over 
just  in  time  to  see  Henderson  net  the  last  point — 
and  we  are  going  to  get  it  here,  too.  It  will  be  up 
to  the  doubles." 

"  Then  you  want  to  go,"  she  said. 

"  No,  I  don't ;  I'm  going  to  stay  right  here — 
with  you,  that  is.  This  is  just  the  time  to  try  the 
kid." 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  PRESENT         17 

"  But  the  match !  " 

"  There  are  some  things  pleasanter  even  than 
winning  tennis  matches,"  he  replied. 

"  Nonsense !  "  she  laughed ;  "  that  doesn't  im- 
press me  in  the  least;  you  simply  don't  want  the 
bother  of  changing  into  flannels  and  out  again." 

"  It's  an  awful  thing  never  to  be  taken  seriously," 
he  reflected. 

"  On  the  contrary,  it's  very  fortunate  for  you ; 
it  permits  you  to  say  the  most  flattering  things 
without  the  least  danger  of  being  compromised." 

"  But  sometime  I  may  want  to  be  compromised." 

"  Then,  my  dear  Colleton,  hunt  out  an  innocent 
debutante,  or  an  unsophisticated  country  maiden; 
don't  try  it  on " 

"  I  say,  Harwood !  "  said  Tony  Wilberforce,  com- 
ing up  hurriedly,  "  you  will  have  to  play  in  the 
doubles ;  the  youngster  can  wait  until  another 
time.  We  simply  must  pull  out  this  match,  and  it 
will  take  three  to  do  it,  and  not  a  man  to  spare. 
James  is  putting  it  all  over  Preston,  here — there, 
that's  the  end!  Now  come  along  and  get  dressed. 
There's  a  bunch  of  money  up — the  grill-room  got 
foolish  at  luncheon." 

Harwood  glanced  at  Mrs.  Leicester. 

"  Go !  "  she  said ;  "  of  course  we  must  win — and 
I'll  stay  and  watch  you,  as  a  mild  incitant." 

Wilberforce  took  Harwood's  chair. 

"  And  I'll  remain  on  guard,"  he  laughed.  "  Chase 
yourself,  Colleton !     I'll  hold  the  court." 
2 


18  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Now,  there's  a  chap,"  he  went  on,  jerking  his 
head  toward  Harwood's  retreating  figure,  "  who 
needs  some  one  to  stir  him  up — does  everything 
well,  and  that  contents  him;  he  could  be  a  star  in 
a  half-dozen  ways,  if  he  only  tried." 

"  All  of  which  is  only  a  long  way  of  saying  that 
he  is  lazy,"  she  smiled. 

"  No !  "  emphatically,  "  that's  just  the  point,  he 
isn't  lazy — he  is  indifferent,  apathetic — too  much 
money,  and  too  much  leisure,  and  too  many  women 
trying  to  get  him  into  their  own  particular  family. 
The  combination  is  enough  to  spoil  any  Saint  that 
ever  was  canonized — and  Harwood  misses  saint- 
hood by  more  than  a  few  scant  halos,  I  admit." 

"  I  wondered  if  you  would  leave  out  the  poor 
women,"  she  retorted ;  "  nevertheless,  I  must  con- 
cede the  accuracy  of  your  diagnosis;  now,  what  is 
your  remedy  ?  " 

"  Marriage ! " 

"  On  the  principle,  I  suppose,  of  one  poison 
neutralizing  another?  " 

"  Exactly !  but  it  must  be  the  proper  poison,  not 
one  taken  blindly  simply  because  it  is  a  poison." 

"  And  have  you  the  particular  poison  in  mind  ?  " 

He  nodded,  looking  significantly  at  her.  "  Yes 
— only,  it  is  so  refractory,  and  so  generally  dan- 
gerous to  meddle  with,  that  the  most  daring 
physician  would  hesitate  to  prescribe  it." 

"  But  assuming  it  were  administered,  would  the 
cure  be  permanent  ?  "  she  asked. 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  PRESENT         19 

"  If  it  isn't,  he  ought  to  die." 

"  And  what  of  the  poison,  if  she  failed?  " 

"  She  couldn't  fail — it  would  be  impossible. 
Lord,  I  wish  I  had  Harwood's  afflictions !  I'd  risk 
the  cure." 

Mrs.  Leicester  leaned  back  and  laughed  heartily. 

"  Really,  Tony,  your  impertinence  is  refreshing ! 
— why  don't  you  try  the  poison,  yourself?  " 

"  Because  it's  too  expensive — I  can't  afford  it. 
It's  a  wise  man  who  knows  what  he  can't  afford. 
Here  comes  Colleton ;  he's  made  a  record  change — 
and  shiver  my  timbers,  if  he  hasn't  old  '  Queen  Vic ' 
in  tow ! " 

He  got  up  and  bowed  Mrs.  Postlewaite  into  his 
chair,  with  the  most  profound  deference,  winked 
slyly  at  Mrs.  Leicester,  and  went  out  on  the  court. 

Maintaining  a  desultory  skirmish-fire  of  com- 
ment and  small  talk,  Mrs.  Leicester  watched  the 
match.  Once  she  had  played  a  rather  pretty  game 
herself,  could  still,  doubtless,  though  the  last  few 
years  abroad  had  put  her  sadly  out  of  practice. 
Now  she  felt  a  touch  of  the  old  fever,  the  lure 
of  the  court  and  the  net.  What  a  game  it  was ! — 
of  head  and  hand  and  eye — the  game  of  the  gentle- 
bred,  before  all  others — where  honesty  and  courtesy 
are  on  parade,  and  the  boor  and  the  bounder  stand 
exposed.  And  the  grace  and  beauty  of  it,  when 
rightly  played;  the  ball  taken  low;  the  follow 
through;  the  contriving  for  position;  the  drive 
down  the  line;  the  lob,  the  irritating,  tiresome  lob; 


20  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

the  finishing  smash!  And  Harwood;  how  well  he 
did  them  all — how  pretty  his  swing,  how  strong  his 
back-hand,  how  clever  his  placing,  how  sure  when 
the  opening  came.  She  remembered  now  that  he 
was  something  of  a  crack  in  his  college  days, 
though  she  had  no  recollection  of  his  game,  if  ever, 
indeed,  she  had  seen  him  play.  Indolent!  one  who 
could  cover  a  court  as  he  did?  Indifferent!  Apa- 
thetic! Superficially,  maybe;  not  when  stirred  to 
life. 

She  had  known  Colleton  Harwood  so  long  she 
had  quite  lost  all  idea  of  him  save  in  the  mass, 
for  she  knew  him  so  well  she  did  not  need  to 
analyze.  She  remembered  him  first,  as  one  of  the 
big  boys  in  the  dancing  class  where  she  was  the 
youngest  girl;  and  that  he  had  been  kind,  and 
thoughtful,  and  nice  to  her,  when  she  was  back- 
ward and  sensitive  and  awkward.  Indeed,  he  had 
been  one  of  her  childish  loves,  until  he  went  off  to 
school — and  when  he  came  back,  he  patronized  her 
in  the  usual  under-graduate  fashion;  and  she 
snubbed  him,  which  did  not  disturb  him  in  the 
least.  Presently  she  herself  went  off  to  school,  and 
when  she  returned  they  settled  down  to  a  good, 
frank  friendship  that  had  been  very  satisfactory — 
to  her  at  least.  Then  came  her  whirlwind  mar- 
riage; and  Harwood  had  raced  back  from  Egypt 
to  be  Tier  usher,  and  to  wish  her  happiness,  even 
though,  as  she  knew,  he  heartily  disapproved  the 
match,  and  of  Jack  Leicester.  When  her  widow- 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  PRESENT         21 

hood  fell  so  suddenly,  and,  it  must  be  confessed,  so 
welcomely  upon  her,  he  was  somewhere  in  India; 
and  to  the  letter  which  she  had  written  him  came 
the  answering  cablegram :  "  The  elder  brother  re- 
sumes his  place  and  charge." 

And  this  was  the  exact  sentiment  between  them, 
though,  in  truth,  there  had  been  little  opportunity 
for  the  old  camaraderie;  for  when  he  came  loitering 
back  from  India,  by  way  of  the  Canal  and  half  the 
Capitals  of  Europe,  she  was  far  out  on  the  Pacific 
making  the  circle,  but  with  no  schedule  and  no 
haste.  So  it  was  two  years  before  they  met,  un- 
expectedly, on  the  piazza  of  Shepheard's — and  after 
a  week  of  long  talks  and  confidences,  he  and  his 
party  had  gone  off  to  hunt  big  game  in  Abyssinia, 
and  to  have  a  look  at  King  Menelik,  and  thence  on 
to  the  Cape.  She  did  not  see  him  again  until  the 
past  winter,  down  on  the  Florida  East  Coast,  where, 
in  the  six  weeks  they  were  in  the  same  big  tread- 
mill of  a  hotel,  he  had  resumed  the  elder  brother 
attitude,  bossing  and  bullying  and  teasing  and 
jealously  watching  lest,  as  he  said,  she  "  make  a 
mess  of  it  a  second  time." 

Of  coiirse,  she  had  rejoined  that  there  was  not 
to  be  a  second  time;  at  which  he  had  laughed,  and 
said  something  about  the  chance  of  another  Jack 
Leicester  happening  along.  After  which,  she  had 
been  very  dignified  and  formal  with  him  for  two 
days — though  he  never  seemed  to  notice  it. 

Her  mind   had  been    running  back    over   these 


22  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

things,  stirred  by  Wilberforce's  jesting  banter  that 
she  and  Harwood  ought  to  marry.  Now  Colleton 
came  plunging  over,  and,  with  a  full-sweep,  back- 
hand drive,  cross-courted  the  ball  between  his  oppo- 
nents to  the  far  corner. 

"  What  is  the  score? "  Mrs.  Postlewaite  de- 
manded, as  he  brought  up  before  her  and  stopped. 

"  That's  our  set,"  he  answered.  "  It's  sort  of 
a  runaway.  Like  it?  " — to  Mrs.  Leicester. 

"  It's  bully !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  I  had  no  idea 
you  put  up  such  a  game.  I'll  have  to  try  you 
myself." 

"  Good . — we  have  the  mixed  doubles  down  at 
the  Heights  next  Saturday,  you  shall  play  with 
me." 

"Shall?"  she  laughed. 

"  Yes,  shall !  I'm  the  Northumberland  captain ; 
besides,  you  don't  fancy  I'd  give  you  to  any  one 
else!" 

That  evening,  after  dinner — when  the  grill- 
room's celebration  of  their  victory  had  reached  the 
stage  where  the  one  big  cup  was  both  too  shallow 
and  too  few,  and  all  the  trophies  in  the  house  had 
been  pressed  into  service — Harwood  slipped  away, 
and  went  up  to  the  main  piazza  for  a  quiet  smoke. 

The  orchestra  was  playing  in  the  gallery,  and  the 
cool  May  air  had  sent  all  the  youngsters  in  to  dance, 
and  most  of  the  elders  to  avoid  the  dampness.  He 
watched  the  room  for  a  bit  through  the  long,  open 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  PRESENT         23 

window,  then  turned  toward  his  particular  corner 
to  finish  his  cigar  before  ordering  his  car.  But  it 
was  occupied,  and  he  was  passing  on  when  Mrs. 
Leicester's  voice  halted  him. 

"  Won't  you  j  oin  us  ?  "  she  asked — "  or  rather, 
won't  you  keep  me  company  for  a  little  while? — 
the  Williamsons  are  going,  and  I'm  too  comfortable 
to  move,  or  too  lazy." 

He  bowed  the  Williamsons  away — and  sat  down. 

"  I  may  smoke  ?  " 

"  Naturally  !  "  she  laughed.  "  What  creatures 
of  convention  we  all  are." 

He  put  his  hand  to  his  pocket.  "  Have  a 
cigarette?  " 

"  And  of  unconvention,  you  and  I.  I've  been 
wanting  a  cigarette  for  an  hour,  and  out  of  regard 
for  Mrs.  Williamson's  reputed  weak  heart  I've  re- 
frained. Give  me  your  cigar,  no  use  illuminating 
my  face  with  a  match."  She  swung  her  chair 
further  into  the  shadows,  her  back  to  the  house. 
"  Now,  all  ye  dowagers  and  gossips,  keep  away ! " 

"  What's  the  odds  who  sees  you  ?  "  he  asked. 
"  Why  shouldn't  a  woman  smoke  ?  " 

"  No  reason  in  the  world  except  local  opinion 
hasn't  been  educated  up  to  it." 

"  And  it  never  will  be,  until  it  has  been  given 
lessons  in  anti-provincialism." 

"  Quite  true,  Colleton ;  but  I  don't  care  to  be 
the  one  to  start  the  instruction.  I'd  rather  forego 
a  cigarette  than  have  all  the  old  tabbies  in 


24  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

town  mewing  at  me.  I  keep  them  busy  enough, 
as  it  is." 

"  Oh,  I  understand ;  it's  simply  a  question  of 
expediency,  and  doubtless  your  way  is  the  wiser; 
but  isn't  it  absurd: — a  woman  may  drink  six  sorts 
of  wine  at  dinner,  and  yet  she  mustn't  smoke  a  little, 
innocent  cigarette!  It's  the  ridiculousness  of  it, 
and  its  rotten  narrowness  that  riles  me.  If  I  were 
a  woman,  and  wanted  to  smoke,  I  would  smoke, 
and  the  festering  old  cats,  male  as  well  as  female, 
could  go  to or  elsewhere." 

Mrs.  Leicester  laughed  softly. 

"  Colleton,"  said  she,  leaning  over  and  looking 
up  at  him,  "  you  have  reams  of  good  qualities,  but 
the  chief  of  them  all  is  your  broad-minded  liberality. 
You  ought  to  get  married;  such  men  as  you  are 
quite  too  few  to  be  wasted  in  solitariness." 

"  On  that  score,"  Harwood  laughed  back,  "  I'm 
better  as  I  am;  I  can  buzz  around  and  distribute 
my  *  broad-minded  liberality  ' — really,  that's  quite 
good ! — upon  all  the  girls  I  like.  Marry — and  click  ! 
the  bars  are  tight,  and  only  one  of  you  can  be 
blessed.  It's  the  first  time,  my  dear,  I  ever  knew 
you  to  advocate  selfishness." 

"  Selfishness !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  when  I  should  be 
resigning  you  wholly  to  another  woman  ?  " 

"  And  that  is  another  obstacle ;  I  have  you  to 
look  after,  and  you're  rather  too  pretty,  Evelyn,  to 
be  popular  with  the  woman-in-question,  whoever  she 
might  be.  So  you  see,  between  you  and  the  general 


25 

good  of  your  sex,  I'm  committed  to  confirmed 
bachelorhood." 

"  Do  you  know,  Colleton,  that  is  the  first  time  you 
ever  told  me  I  was  pretty — when  did  you  notice  it?  " 

"  I  didn't  tell  you  then — I  only  remarked  it,  as 
one  does  a  self-evident  fact.  Do  you  think  I'm 
blind?  You  were  the  prettiest  thing  this  afternoon 
up  at  the  courts, I  ever  saw — and  that's  going  some; 
I  reckon  I've  seen  a  few  pretty  women  in  my  time." 

"  And  who  is  the  next  prettiest?  "  she  laughed. 

"This  afternoon?" 

"  No,  stupid,  anywhere  ?  " 

He  thought  a  moment.  "  I  don't  know  her  name. 
I  saw  her  only  once,  for  a  moment." 

"  Where?  " 

"  On  the  Grand  Canal — my  gondola  passed  hers." 

"By  moonlight?" 

"  No,  bright  sunlight  —  bright  as  on  the  courts 
to-day." 

"  Thank  you,  Colleton,  that  is  a  compliment  quite 
worth  while.  And  my  rival — Italian,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  American,  I  think." 

"  Describe  her,  can't  you  ?  " 

"  No — as  I  told  you,  it's  the  tout  ensemble  that 
I  see." 

"  And  you  don't  know  if  she  were  dark  or  fair, 
large  or  small,  stout  or  slender  ?  " 

He  laughed.  "  I'm  sure  that  she  wasn't  large 
nor  stout.  She  was  slender,  like  you ;  and  it  seems 
to  me  her  hair  was  black,  but  of  that  I've  never 


£6  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

been  sure.  It  was  the  marvellous  regularity  of  her 
features  and  their  expressive  beauty  that  held  me. 
Our  boats  almost  collided;  I  saw  her  only  for 
the  instant  the  gondoliers  slowed  down  to  sprinkle 
each  other  with  vituperation." 

"And  you  never  saw  her  again?" 

"  No." 

"  Nor  ever  tried  to?  " 

"  Never,  directly." 

"  Confess,  my  dear  boy,  that  you  haunted 
Florian's — that  you  were  always  on  the  lookout  for 
her." 

"  In  the  sense  that  I  should  have  recognized  her 
instantly,  yes." 

"  You  spoke  to  her  ?  " 

"  Naturally.  I  apologized  in  French  for  my 
man's  awkwardness." 

"  To  be  sure!— and  she?  " 

"  Laughed — a  deliciously  soft,  enticing  laugh — 
and  absolved  me  with  a  wave  of  her  fan." 

"  Hence  '  the  expressive  beauty  '  of  her  features," 
she  quoted.  "  But  I  don't  understand  why  you 
made  no  effort  to  find  her,  or  at  least  to  ascertain 
her  name.  A  beautiful  woman,  in  a  gondola,  on 
the  Grand  Canal,  almost  an  accident,  an  apology 
and  an  absolution!  Haven't  you  any  romance  in 
you,  Colleton?" 

"  Not  any." 

"  And  yet  you  remember  her  laugh  and  her 
beauty ! " 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  PRESENT         27 

"  Just  as  I  remember  the  delicious  dinner  I  had 
that  very  night  with  the  Camerons,  on  their  yacht." 

"  Nonsense,  that's  affectation !  You  have  plenty 
of  romance,  or  sentiment,  or  whatever  one  may 
prefer  to  term  it,  but  you've  never  found  the  woman 
to  stir  it  to  real  life.  This  Venetian  girl  came 
pretty  near  it — another  such  meeting  and  you  would 
have  had  no  rest  until  you  found  her." 

"  And  then  ?  "  he  laughed. 

"  Then  it  would  be  up  to  her — if  she  were  the 
right  sort  and  knew  how  to  handle  you." 

"  And  you  would  advise  that  I  go  on  the  hunt 
of  her  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Of  her,  or  of  someone.  Buy  a  home  and  settle 
down — a  place  in  the  country  where  you  can  avoid 
temptation  and  Clubs." 

"  I  have  one  now — at  least  it's  in  the  country ; 
I  can't  answer  for  the  temptation  nor  the  Clubs, 
I've  never  seen  it." 

"  Win  it  at  auction-bridge?  " 

"  Not  exactly :  I  inherited  it  a  few  months  ago. 
It  is  Fairlawn,  the  old  Harwood  place,  down  at 
Egerton.  It  was  owned  by  a  distant  bachelor-cousin ; 
and  as  it  seems  there  is  an  inherited  obligation  that 
it  shall  always  descend  by  entail  to  the  eldest  male 
of  the  family,  he  passed  it  on  to  me ;  with  the  usual 
condition  attached  that  I  must  reside  there  at  least 
thirty  days  every  year." 

"  And  you  have  never  seen  your  ancestral  home !  " 
she  exclaimed — "  you  who  have  spent  your  life  wan- 


28  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

dering  over  the  earth! — and  that,  when  it's  only  a 
night's  ride  away  ?  " 

"  No ;  somehow  I  never  went — maybe  it  was  too 
near;  had  it  been  a  long  journey,  doubtless  I  should 
have  visited  it  many  times.  And  it's  an  interesting 
old  shop,  I  understand;  filled  with  all  sorts  of 
antiques,  and  family  relics  and  belongings — would 
you  like  to  see  it?  " 

"  There  is  nothing  I  should  like  better." 

"  Good !  "  he  said.  "  This  is  the  cream  of  the 
year,  in  that  section.  Make  up  a  house-party  of 
ten  for  a  week  or  two.  I'll  run  down  to-morrow 
and  arrange  for  it;  and  after  the  match  here  on 
Saturday,  I'll  take  you  all  back  with  me." 

"  Whom  do  you  want  in  particular?  "  she  asked. 

"  You.  I  don't  care  anything  about  the  rest — 
they  are  for  you  to  pick." 

"  I  wish  I  could  find  the  lady  of  the  Grand 
Canal,"  she  laughed. 

"  So  do  I !— to  prove " 

A  servant  approached  and  stood  at  attention. 

"  Well?  "  said  Harwood. 

"  Mrs.  Postlewaite  asks  if  Mrs.  Leicester  is  ready 
— the  car  is  waiting,"  the  man  monotoned. 

"  Say  to  Mrs.  Postlewaite  I  am  coming  at  once," 
said  Evelyn,  getting  up.  "  You  have  kept  me  a 
most  unseemly  time,  Colleton."  Under  the  big 
lamp  at  the  front,  she  paused.  "  What  was  it  you 
wanted  to  prove  by  having  the  Venetian  lady  in 
the  house-party? — that  you  are  not  romantic?  " 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  PRESENT         29 

"  No,"  he  said.  "  Not  that — something  more  to 
the  purpose." 

She  looked  up  at  him  with  her  most  artful  smile. 

"  What?  "  she  said  softly;  "  what?  " 

"You  little  flirt!"  he  laughed.  "Don't  try 
your  fascinations  on  me — or,  at  least,  wait  until  we 
are  down  at  Egerton." 

"  And  you  will  tell  me  then  ?  "  she  whispered, 
pressing  his  fingers,  as  he  put  her  in  the  car. 

"  Yes,"  said  he,  answering  her  hand,  "  I'll  tell 
you  then — maybe." 


n 

THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    PAST 

EGERTON  was  not  an  especially  old  town,  even 
as  old  towns  go  in  the  original  Thirteen  States. 
Its  birth  year  was  the  opening  one  of  the  last  cen- 
tury; its  raison  d'etre,  the  formation  of  a  new 
county,  and  the  consequent  need  of  a  seat  for  the 
local  government.  And  that  has  remained  its  only 
raison  d'etre  to  this  day.  For  three  generations, 
it  slumbered  in  complacent  obscurity  and  passive 
respectability  and  righteousness — then,  one  day, 
somewhere  down  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia,  a  great 
battle  strayed  away  in  its  sleep,  to  awake  suddenly 
at  Egerton.  When  it  had  fought  itself  out, 
the  town  had  entered  into  the  celebrity  which  at- 
taches to  a  crucial  event  of  History.  But  as  it  was 
content  with  obscurity,  so  was  it  content  with  fame 
— the  statics  of  sixty  years  were  not  to  be  startled 
into  dynamics,  even  by  the  fearful  thunder  of  many 
guns.  And  so,  in  time,  Egerton  lost  forever  the 
little  individuality  it  had,  and  all  its  pride  in  an 
honorable  founding  and  a  well-bred  past,  and  was 
swallowed  up  by  a  National  Cemetery  and  a  battle- 
field. 

Just  why  that  particular  site  had  been  chosen 
for  the  county-seat  passes  understanding,  save  that 
the  land  was  donated  by  a  generous  citizen  who 

30 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PAST  31 

wanted  a  town  near  his  tavern,  and  because  the 
only  other  location  suggested  and  urged  was  even 
worse,  and  did  not  have  the  advantage  of  the 
tavern.  Then,  with  ample  room  inside  the  limits 
and  the  whole  county  to  spread  over,  the  wise 
founders  proceeded  to  slice  the  town  into  tiny  lots, 
and  to  build  the  houses  flush  with  the  street-line  and 
tight  against  each  other;  the  reason  for  which  has 
never  been  discovered ;  unless  it  were  to  insure  a 
minimum  of  light  and  air  and  a  maximum  of  fire 
risk.  Hither  came  many  of  the  most  substantial 
and  leading  citizens  of  the  county,  from  their  plan- 
tations (they  called  them  such)  in  West  Creek 
Valley,  a  few  miles  distant,  bringing  with  them 
culture  and  education,  and  making  up  the  fashion- 
able society  of  the  village.  Chief  among  them  was 
Captain  Beverly  Harwood,  Colleton  Harwood's 
several  times  great-grandfather — but  he  did  not 
build  in  the  town.  And  the  reason  whereof  is  this : 
When  the  Colonies  passed  put  in  Revolution,  the 
old  settlers  in  the  West  Creek  sent  their  sons  to  the 
service,  and  such  as  were  able  went  themselves,  as 
well.  Major  John  Harwood — he  had  his  title  in 
the  Provincial  troops  in  the  French  War  of  '55 — 
was  incapacitated  by  wounds  for  field  duty,  and 
his  only  son  was  then  of  too  tender  years  for  sol- 
diering, so  the  veteran  turned  his  energies  to  the 
civil  side  of  the  contest.  But  the  day  Beverly 
Harwood  was  seventeen,  his  father  handed  him  a 
commission  as  Ensign  in  the  Continental  Line,  with 


32  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

the  necessary  uniform  and  equipment,  and  bade 
him  repair  forthwith  to  his  regiment  and  report  for 
duty.  And  young  Mr.  Harwood  had  expressed  his 
joy  and  his  thanks  with  becoming  deference,  and 
that  same  day,  having  received  his  sire's  blessing 
and  his  mother's  kiss,  he  rode  off  for  Monmouth 
and  his  new  duties. 

He  had  proved  a  smart  soldier ;  and  peace  found 
him  the  senior  captain  of  his  regiment,  on  detached 
staff -service  in  the  Carolinas,  where,  at  the  end,  he 
marched  with  Wayne  into  Charleston  as  Leslie's 
Red-coats  marched  out.  And  there  he  had  lingered 
for  months,  held  by  the  fascinations  of  a  fair  face, 
seen  that  day  for  the  first  time  in  a  balcony  of 
Broad  Street.  And  when  he  at  last  turned  north- 
ward, in  the  ship  bound  for  Annapolis,  a  Mistress 
Beverly  Harwood  went  with  him — she  of  the  fair 
face  in  the  Broad  Street  balcony:  Betty  Colleton, 
of  Fairlawn  Hall  on  the  Cooper.  And  if  the  Peale 
portrait  of  him,  painted  a  few  years  thereafter, 
which  hangs  in  the  drawing-room  at  Egerton,  may 
be  held  trustworthy,  then  the  lady  would  seem  to 
have  had  every  justification — superficially  at  least — 
in  her  choice  of  a  husband.  Which  brings  us  back 
to  the  house. 

When  Madame  Harwood  saw  the  town,  and  its 
constricted  plan,  she  would  have  none  of  it,  albeit 
she  was  quite  willing  to  be  close  to  it  rather  than 
on  the  Harwood  plantation,  three  miles  away.  So 
she  chose  a  site  nearby,  on  the  ridge  to  the  west, 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PAST  33 

where  the  view  was  unrestricted,  and  light  and  air 
and  sunshine  were  subject  to  no  man's  whim.  And 
her  husband  laughed,  and  gave  her  her  way;  and 
then,  in  further  compliment,  he  named  it  Fairlawn, 
and  built  the  house  in  its  pattern,  with  a  great  gar- 
den in  the  rear  and  on  each  side,  encompassed  with  a 
high  hedge  of  locust,  thick-set  and  close-cut.  And 
here  the  fair  mistress  of  it  all  had  again  the  flowers 
of  her  youth;  the  borders  of  box  and  mock-orange 
and  japonica,  the  jasmine,  azaleas  and  magnolias, 
the  rose  arbors,  the  violets, — only,  here,  the  violets 
bloomed  but  three  months  instead  of  the  whole  year 
through;  and  the  roses  flowered  late  and  faded 
quickly;  and  only  the  japonica  lingered  the  same, 
though  it  too  blossomed  later,  and  was  neither  so 
gorgeous  nor  so  sweet. 

As  the  years  passed,  other  mistresses  walked  in 
the  garden  and  other  masters  ruled — always  a 
Beverly  or  a  Colleton — and  ever  in  Egerton  had 
Fairlawn  stood  for  dignity;  where  only  the  old 
friends  were  received  as  of  course,  and  others 
who  would  enter  had  to  prove  their  worthiness, 
either  by  who  they  were,  or  by  what  they  had 
done.  It  was  the  natural  legacy  which  a  Betty 
Colleton  leaves  to  her  home  and  her  descendants — 
and  in  this  instance  both  were  worthy  of  her,  and 
her  spirit  still  pervaded  the  old  house. 

In  truth,  Egerton  had  always  been  proud  of 
Fairlawn,  and — save  for  that  class  in  every  small 
town,  who  are  of  the  herd  and  know  it,  and  resent 
3 


34  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

it — the  people  were  glad  to  have  the  Harwood 
wealth  and  culture  to  lead  their  social  life,  and  to 
represent  them  in  the  outer  world,  where  few  of 
them  were  known  or  acquainted,  or  indeed  had  ever 
been.  And  when,  in  the  stir  of  politics,  or  litiga- 
tion, some  celebrity  came  to  address  them,  or  some 
noted  lawyer  to  attend  court,  it  was  to  Fairlawn 
that  Egerton  looked  for  their  entertainment  and 
care.  And  though  the  late-deceased  owner  was  a 
bachelor,  yet  the  hospitality  had  never  dulled,  for 
his  widowed  sister  was  there  to  play  the  mistress. 
They  brought  her  home  one  morning,  crushed  and 
broken  beneath  the  hunter  whose  careless  take-off 
had  been  fatal  to  them  both.  Two  weeks  later, 
they  laid  Beverly  Harwood  beside  her,  the  victim  of 
a  drenching  rainstorm's  vengeance  for  a  strong 
man's  scorn. 

Thus  it  was,  that  Colleton  Harwood  became  mas- 
ter of  Fairlawn.  All  Egerton  was  expectant  of 
his  coming,  and  marvelled  much  that  he  tarried; 
and  among  those,  whose  particular  occupation  was 
investigating  and  disseminating  the  affairs  of 
others,  there  had  been  a  clacking  time ;  there  was  so 
much  they  wanted  to  know  and  so  little  they  could 
learn.  Of  course,  this  paucity  of  actual  knowledge 
affected  only  the  accuracy  and  not  the  volume  of 
the  gossip.  But  as  the  days  and  weeks  passed,  and 
still  the  new  owner  did  not  come,  nor  any  word  from 
him.  unless  it  were  to  the  family  counsellor  (and 
he  would  not  talk),  the  "  they-sayers  "  grew  desper- 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PAST  35 

ate,  and  falling  upon  one  another's  lies  they  tore 
them  all  to  tatters;  then  settled  down  expectantly 
and  with  whetted  tongues  for  the  coming  of  the 
man  himself — they  bore  him  a  grudge,  they  de- 
clared, for  the  indignity  he  had  put  upon  the  town 
by  his  indifference  to  his  inheritance.  In  their  in- 
experience and  narrow-minded  self-sufficiency,  they 
had  no  conception  of  a  world  where  no  one  bothers 
an  instant  about  another,  save  casually  when  the 
other  passes  under  his  immediate  vision,  or  is  en- 
countered directly  in  business  or  society. 

As  for  Harwood  himself,  had  he  been  within 
reach,  when  his  cousin  died,  he  would  have  done 
him  the  courtesy  of  attending  the  obsequies ;  but 
that  not  being  possible,  he  had  seen  no  reason  for 
hurrying  to  formally  take  possession.  He  would  go 
down,  in  due  and  convenient  season,  and  look  the 
place  over ;  and  if  he  thought  thirty  days  residence 
a  year  were  too  high  a  price  to  pay,  he  would 
decline  the  devise  and  pass  it  on  to  the  next  in  line. 
So  he  wrote  a  note  to  Judge  Casson,  to  keep  the 
house  open  and  retain  all  the  servants;  and  then 
for  the  time  he  dismissed  the  matter  from  his  mind. 
It  was  Mrs.  Leicester  that  had  brought  it  back. 

Harwood  motored  down  to  Egerton;  it  was  a 
good  opportunity  to  try  out  his  new  car,  and  vastly 
preferable  to  crawling  out  of  a  berth  at  a  junction 
at  five  in  the  morning,  and  waiting  three  hours 
for  a  slow  train  across — and,  besides,  the  car  would 


36  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

be  needed  there  next  week.  He  could  have  made  the 
run  in  a  day,  but  there  was  no  occasion  for  haste, 
so  he  did  it  in  two,  leisurely  and  in  comfort.  It 
was  late  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  big  machine 
thrummed  down  the  last  hill  and  into  Egerton, 
paused  long  enough  for  the  driver  to  inquire  the 
way  to  Fairlawn,  and  then  swung  around,  and,  re- 
turning to  the  forks  of  the  street,  shot  out  to  the 
ridge  half  a  mile  away,  where  the  white  pillars 
shone  among  the  trees. 

The  house  stood  a  bit  back  from  the  avenue  that 
followed  the  ridge;  as  they  turned  into  it,  and 
Harwood  caught  a  full  view  of  the  place,  he  sat  up 
sharply. 

"  Drive  slow !  "  he  said. 

And  at  a  pace  that  filled  the  chauffeur  with  shame, 
they  crept  in  and  drew  up  before  the  entrance — 
twin  stairways  leading  up  to  a  Georgian  piazza. 

For  a  little  while  he  sat  in  the  car,  silent  and 
wondering.  This  massive  brick  house,  red  with 
the  soft  red  of  age,  imposing,  aristocratic,  was  not 
the  Fairlawn  he  had  pictured  and  was  prepared  to 
patronize.  He  smiled ;  rather  was  it  for  him  to  live 
up  to  it. 

The  front  door  was  open ;  as  Colleton  alighted,  a 
young  negro,  in  blue  livery  with  scarlet  facings, 
came  hurriedly  out  to  meet  him. 

"  Mr.  Harwood  ?  "  he  asked,  with  that  peculiarly 
deferential  bow  of  his  race,  when  addressing  a 
superior. 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PAST  37 

"  Yes,"  said  Colleton,  "  I  am  Mr.  Harwood — and 
you?" 

"  William,  sir,  the  butler — we  all  are  glad  you 
have  come,  sir." 

He  spoke  without  any  of  the  negro  twang,  and 
even  the  slurring  of  the  "  r  "  was  very  faint. 

"  And  so  am  I,  William,  so  am  I — ever  since  I 
saw  this  house." 

At  the  piazza,  the  negro  sprang  forward  and 
stood  in  the  doorway. 

"  Welcome  home,  master !  "  he  exclaimed,  bowing 
almost  to  the  ground,  "  welcome  home !  " 

Home!  the  word  caught  Harwood  suddenly  in 
its  full  significance  here,  and  with  bowed  head  he 
passed  the  threshold. 

"  Where  are  my  quarters  ?  "  he  asked,  not  caring 
to  betray  sentiment  before  a  servant,  nor,  indeed,  to 
admit  it  even  to  himself. 

They  passed  through  the  square  entrance  hall, 
panelled  sides  and  ceiling  in  walnut,  and  up  the 
wide  stairway  in  the  rear,  that  branched  into  two 
under  the  windows  and  pillars  of  the  landing. 

William  threw  open  the  door  on  the  right. 

"  Will  you  have  your  tea  here,  sir,  or  in  the 
library  ?  "  he  asked. 

Harwood  smiled.  "  Does  the  custom  at  Fair- 
lawn  obligate  me  to  drink  tea  in  the  afternoon  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  Mr.  Beverly  didn't — or  at  least  not 
often;  but  Miss  Betty,  his  sister — Mrs.  Singleton, 
that  is — always  had  it  served,  and  I  didn't  know." 


38  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Then  remember,  William,  that  it  will  be  quite 
unnecessary  ever  to  serve  me  with  tea  in  the  after- 
noon— when  there  are  guests,  have  it  for  them,  of 
course.  If  you  think  I  need  something  now,  you 
might  make  it  a  rye  high-ball,  if  you  happen  to 
have  the  necessary  ingredients." 

"  Ginger  ale,  seltzer,  or  ice  water,  sir  ?  " 

"  Seltzer,"  said  Harwood.  "  Really,"  he  laughed, 
when  the  servant  had  gone,  "  even  from  the  little 
I've  seen  of  this  place,  I  fancy  I  can  put  in  those 
thirty  days  very  comfortably.  .  .  .  William,  how 
long  have  you  been  here?  " 

"  I  was  born  at  Fairlawn,  sir — my  mother  is 
Cleopatra  the  cook,  my  father,  Caesar,  was  the 
butler  before  me ;  he  died  last  year.  He  was  of  the 
old  times,  sir." 

"  And  you  are  of  the  new?  " 

"  I  suppose  so,  sir ;  that  is,  I've  had  something 
of  an  education — Mr.  Beverly  sent  me  to  college — 
and  I'm  not  so  sure  it  wasn't  a  mistake.  God  made 
the  negro  for  a  servant,  and  learning  only  spoils 
him.  You  know  yourself,  sir,  you  would  rather 
have  old  Caesar's  fussy  ways  and  queer  plantation 
talk. — What  hour  will  you  dine,  sir  ?  " 

"  What  has  been  the  custom  here  ?  "  Harwood 
asked. 

"  Seven  o'clock,  sir." 

"  Seven  make  it,  then.  And  telephone  Judge 
Casson  to  do  me  the  honor  of  dining  with  me." 

He  looked  after  the  butler,  doubtfully.     "  Fair- 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PAST  39 

lawn  has  sprung  more  surprises  in  ten  minutes  than 
Northumberland  in  as  many  months,  but  this  last  is 
rather  too  startling — an  educated  negro  who  knows 
his  place,  and  is  willing  to  stay  in  it!  I'm  afraid, 
William,  you  will  bear  watching." 

Having  splashed  himself  well  with  water,  he  fell 
to  sipping  his  drink  and  inspecting  the  room.  He 
was  not  an  expert  in  antiques,  but  at  least  he  knew 
enough  to  appreciate  something  of  the  artistry  of 
the  furniture;  all  Sheraton,  from  the  great  high 
bed  in  the  corner,  to  the  slender  shaving-stand  near 
the  side  window.  He  went  over  and  drew  aside  the 
curtain ;  a  bit  of  the  garden  lay  below  him,  and 
its  call  came  up.  Hitherto,  gardens  had  not  been 
of  things  attractive,  but  now  the  Colleton  in  him 
answered,  and  he  obeyed.  And  as  from  the  rear 
piazza  he  looked  upon  it,  and  realized  its  vast  extent 
and  its  peculiar  beauty — such  beauty  as  only  age 
can  give  to  turf  and  shrub  and  tree — he  stopped, 
and,  leaning  on  the  rail,  he  gloated  over  it  with  all 
the  pride  of  possession.  And  with  something  more : 
the  pride  of  descent — for  this  was  Betty  Colleton's 
garden,  planned  and  planted  and  loved  by  her ;  and 
even  to  the  most  unregenerate  of  her  offspring, 
Betty  Colleton  would  always  be  a  goddess  of  the 
Blue. 

He  did  not  notice  the  turban-covered  head  of  old 
Cleopatra,  as  she  watched  him  from  a  window  in 
the  kitchen  wing,  curbing  the  while,  with  her  long 
spoon,  the  noisy  whispers  of  the  two  young  maids 


40  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

beside  her;  nor  did  he  hear  butler  William  come  to 
the  doorway,  behind  him,  and,  after  a  moment's 
pause,  turn  and  go  softly  away.  They  knew  that 
the  magic  of  the  garden  was  upon  him — as  they  had 
seen  it  upon  other  Harwoods;  and  though  William 
understood  it  in  a  fashion,  yet  to  Cleopatra  it  had 
always  meant,  that  the  spirit  of  the  fair,  first 
mistress  was  returned  to  wander,  for  a  little  while,  in 
the  paths  it  had  loved  in  the  flesh. 

Suddenly,  from  off  toward  the  town,  came  the 
shriek  of  a  locomotive  whistle.  Harwood  started 
and  glanced  around,  half  guiltily,  in  time  to  catch 
Cleopatra's  stare.  He  smiled,  and  waved  his  hand 
to  her,  and,  through  the  open  window,  he  could 
see  her  half-curtsy  in  respectful  acknowledgment. 
Then,  lighting  a  cigar,  he  went  down  the  stone 
steps,  with  their  slender  wrought-iron  balustrade, 
and  sauntered  out  among  the  flowers. 

The  mock-orange  and  the  honey-suckle  were  red- 
olent in  the  hedges,  and  on  the  arbors  the  old- 
fashioned  roses  of  pink  and  white,  and  the  Chero- 
kees,  were  bursting  into  bloom.  The  setting  sun 
was  just  beginning  to'  touch  with  fire  the  tips  of 
the  distant  mountains,  and  the  soft  breeze  of  the 
coming  twilight  caught  up  every  fragrance,  and 
blending  them  in  one  exquisite  perfume,  offered  it 
in  gentle  courtesy  as  tribute  to  the  new  ruler.  And 
he  accepted  instantly,  with  head  back  and  eyes  half 
closed ;  though,  as  yet,  he  was  too  new  to  gardens, 
and  the  ways  of  flowers,  to  understand. 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PAST  41 

Far  back  near  the  rear  wall — long  ago  brick  had 
replaced  the  locust  hedge — he  came  upon  a  bench 
on  which  lay  a  current  copy  of  a  magazine.  Evi- 
dently the  butler  was  given  to  loafing  here,  and, 
casually  curious,  Harwood  sat  down  and  opened 
at  the  marked  page. 

"  The  Fourth  Dimension !  "  he  read  aloud ;  "  The 
Fourth  Dimension !  Now  what  would  you  think  of 
that ! " 

He  glanced  over  the  article;  it  was  technical  to 
the  last  degree ;  filled  with  the  most  intricate  mathe- 
matical demonstrations,  the  very  terms  of  which 
he  had  long  forgot,  if  indeed  he  ever  knew  them. 
And  William  was  reading  it !  and  was  sufficiently 
interested  to  mark  the  place  when  interrupted. 
He  had  not  asked  where  that  education  was  ac- 
quired; now  he  knew — it  was  Harvard.  Idly  he 
turned  the  pages,  pausing  presently  at  a  riot  of 
color,  by  an  illustrator  whose  bad-men  are  charac- 
terized by  their  malignant  faces,  and  his  Colonial 
gentlemen  by  their  enormous  feet.  He  remembered 
that  some  one  had  spoken  of  this  picture,  and  how, 
with  its  priggish-looking  man  and  pasty-faced  girl, 
it  misrepresented  and  injured  the  story,  which  had 
to  do  with  attractive  people  and  was  clever  and  well- 
told.  The  mise  en  scene  was  a  garden,  and  its  per- 
tinence caught  his  fancy;  he  grew  interested,  and 
holding  the  book  high  to  catch  the  best  of  the 
fading  light,  he  read  on. 

From  where  he   sat  the  postern   gate  was  not 


42  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

visible,  and  so  he  did  not  see  it  open,  and  a  young 
woman,  in  a  trailing  blue  gown,  and  hatless,  enter 
and  come  toward  him — a  small,  white  caniche  trot- 
ting beside  her,  his  mistress'  color  in  bows  on  head 
and  neck. 

"  What  is  it,  Chum?  "  she  asked,  as  the  dog  ran 
in  front  and  looked  up  at  her  questioningly. 
"  What's  here  now  that  you  don't  like?  " 

He  smiled  and  shook  his  stumpy  tail  in  answer, 
then  with  a  tiny,  grumbling  growl  he  sprang  away 
to  the  turn  in  the  path,  at  the  end  of  the  hedge,  and 
gave  one  sharp  bark. 

It  lowered  Harwood's  book  and  brought  him 
around  with  a  start. 

"  Hello,  there ! "  he  laughed,  "  what  toy  shop 
did  you  escape  from?  " 

The  dog,  erect  and  immovable,  gave  him  a  saucy 
stare. 

Harwood  leaned  forward  and  snapped  his  fingers. 

"  Come  here,  little  chap !  "  he  said.  "  Come  here 
and  tell  me  about  it.  Where's  your  mistress?  " 

The  dog  looked  quickly  up  the  path,  and  with  a 
faint  whimper  of  affection  disappeared. 

Half  tempted  to  follow,  and  yet  held  by  the 
unfinished  story,  Colleton  was  still  balanced  in  inde- 
cision when  mistress  and  dog  turned  the  hedge.  She 
was  looking  down  at  him,  talking  softly,  and  she 
did  not  observe  Harwood  until  Chum  growled. 

"  Oh ! "  she  exclaimed,  and  stopped. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  if  I  startled  you,"  said  he, 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PAST  43 

bowing ;  "  I  am  Colleton  Harwood."  Then  he 
smiled  at  the  dog.  "  My  compliments  on  the 
caniche ;  he  is  the  prettiest  I  ever  saw." 

She  gave  him  the  flash  of  a  look. 

"  Yes,"  stooping  and  picking  up  the  toy,  "  he  is 
a  dear  little  fellow.  Chum,  say  '  thank  you.'  " 

The  dog  looked  at  the  man  and  smiled,  and 
spoke  to  him  in  tones  that  had  no  resemblance  to 
a  bark. 

Harwood  put  out  his  hand  and  rubbed  him  softly 
back  of  the  ear. 

"  Clever !  "  he  said,  "  clever !  will  you  say  it  again, 
sir?  " 

The  bright  eyes  sought  their  mistress ;  she  smiled 
and  nodded ;  at  once,  he  turned  toward  Colleton  and 
repeated  the  tones. 

All  the  time  Harwood  was  covertly  studying  the 
mistress.  Where  had  he  seen  her  face?  There 
was  something  strikingly  familiar,  and  yet  at  the 
same  time,  utterly  strange.  The  sun  was  down,  and 
light  was  none  of  the  brightest  there  among  the 
trees  and  hedges,  but  he  could  see  that  her  hair 
was  red — Titian  red — and  complexion  of  the  fair- 
est, that  goes  with  it;  that  the  nose  was  fine  and 
slender,  and  that  the  lips  were  a  bow  above  and  a 
pout  below;  but  as  for  the  eyes,  they  were  so  hid 
in  the  shadow  of  the  long  lashes  that  their  color  he 
could  not  catch. 

She  held  out  her  hand  to  him.  "  Convention  re- 
quires me  to  bid  you  welcome  to  Egerton,  though 


44  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

I  really  don't  mean  it;  Chum  and  I  hate  to  be 
turned  out  of  this  garden." 

"  Then  why  be  turned  out  ?  "  he  asked,  taking  her 
hand  and  shaking  it  frankly.  "  Surely,  I  do  not 
wish  to  keep  this  beautiful  place  all  to  myself ! " 

"  Convention !  convention !  always  convention !  " 
she  laughed.  "  The  flying  battery  of  ancient-and- 
honorable-gossips,  down  in  yonder  town,  will  be  en- 
camped around  these  walls  at  day-break  to-morrow ; 
doubtless  they  have  pickets  already  out  who  will 
report  this  meeting.  You  have  yet  to  learn  the 
awful  responsibilities  of  being  The  Harwood." 

"  I've  been  learning  so  much,  the  few  hours  I've 
been  here,  that  I  fear  the  ancient-and-honorable 
will  have  to  bide  a  bit  for  their  turn.  In  the 
meantime,  and  all  time,  grape  and  canister,  solid 
shot  and  shrapnel  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding, 
the  garden  is  yours." 

She  laughed;  a  soft,  infectious  laugh,  that  sent 
Harwood's  memory  flying  back  in  search. 

"  Thank  you ! "  she  said ;  "  but  I  may  claim  it 
only  when  you  are  not  in  Egerton." 

"  At  least,"  he  expostulated,  "  you  will  let  Chum 
come  and  talk  with  me." 

"  Gladly — but  Chum  never  leaves  his  mistress." 

"  Sensible  Chum ! "  said  Colleton,  but  so  graci- 
ously there  was  no  touch  of  triteness. 

"  Faithful  Chum !  "  she  corrected ;  then  stepped 
to  the  bench  and  took  up  the  magazine.  "  This  is 
what  I  came  for;  I  left  it  here  at  luncheon." 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PAST  45 

Without  a  word,  he  turned  and  escorted  her  to 
the  postern. 

"  And  was  it  you  who  were  reading  '  The  Fourth 
Dimension  '  ?  "  he  asked,  presently. 

She  shot  a  quick  glance  at  him,  which,  in  the 
twilight,  he  missed. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered ;  "  isn't  it  simply  adorable !  " 

Harwood  shuddered. 

"  Do  you  really  understand  it  ?  "  he  asked  bluntly. 

Once  again  came  the  soft,  infectious  laugh. 

"  Not  a  word !  I've  been  reading  it  on  a  wager, 
and  after  seven  days  I'm  only  half  through;  I  sim- 
ply can't  keep  awake." 

"  Thank  the  Lord !  "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  stepped 
forward  and  swung  back  the  grille. 

"  Why,  '  thank  the  Lord  '  ?  "  she  asked,  stopping 
in  the  gateway,  and  dismissing  him  with  extended 
hand. 

"  Because  I  don't  want  to  be  afraid  of  you." 

"  No,  no !  "  she  smiled ;  "  it's  because  you  don't 
want  a  neighbor  who  would  bore  you  with  isms  and 
half-baked  theories;  you're  safe  in  that  respect,  I 
assure  you.  Good-night !  " 

"  At  your  gate,  not  at  mine,"  he  said. 

"  No,  here ;  it's  only  a  little  way ;  and  Chum 
will  take  care  of  me.  Good-night ! " 

"  Good-night ! "  he  said,  seeing  that  she  meant 
it.  "  I  suppose,"  he  spoke  after  her,  "  even  the 
Egerton  ancient-and-honorable  will  permit  me  to 
visit  a  neighbor  to-morrow?  " 


46  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

She  turned  half  around,  but  without  halting: 
"  Yes,  at  five . — and  Chum  says  he  shall  be  glad  to 
see  you." 

"  And  will  he  tell  me  his  mistress'  name? " 
Harwood  called. 

But  only  the  soft  laugh  came  back  in  answer. 


Ill 

COUNSELLOR    AND    FRIEND 

As  Harwood  came  down  to  the  library  that  even- 
ing, a  short  while  before  dinner,  the  butler  was 
waiting  in  the  hall. 

"  What  wines  shall  I  serve,  sir?  "  he  asked. 

"  Do  you  know  Judge  Casson's  preference  ?  " 

"  A  little  brown  sherry  with  the  soup,  sir,  and 
then  champagne." 

"  Very  good.  .  .  .  Stay,  William,  I  quite  for- 
got !  Shall  I  send  the  car  for  Judge  Casson,  or  has 
he  a  conveyance  of  his  own?  " 

The  butler  grinned — he  had  not  yet  learned  the 
frozen-face  and  the  intone;  indeed,  save  in  his 
speech,  he  was  still  the  son  of  his  parents ;  a  negro 
cannot  be  made  into  an  automaton  in  a  single 
generation. 

"  The  Judge  has  his  horses,  sir ;  and  even  if  he 
hadn't,  he  would  not  use  your  car.  He  despises 
automobiles.  .  .  .  There  he  is  now!  I  know  his 
big  sorrel's  step,"  and  he  hurried  out. 

"  Here,  you  good-for-nothing  young  rascal,  take 
my  bag ! "  Colleton  heard,  in  sharp  tones  that,  at 
the  same  time,  were  very  kindly. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  yes,  sir !  " 

It  was  perilously  near  the  broad  "  yas  suh,"  and 
even  Harwood  noticed  it.  Later  he  observed  it 

47 


48  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

always  happened  when  the  butler  was  addressed  by 
one  who  had  known  him  from  pickaninnyhood. 

Harwood  met  his  guest  on  the  piazza,  and  the 
two  shook  hands  and  appraised  each  other. 

"  Clean-cut  and  decent,"  thought  the  Judge. 

"  Old-fashioned  and  dependable,"  thought  Col- 
leton. 

"  I  am  delighted  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Harwood," 
was  what  the  Judge  said ;  "  welcome,  sir !  welcome 
to  Egerton ;  and,  if  I  may,  to  Fairlawn." 

And  Harwood  thanked  him,  and  still  holding  his 
hand  ushered  him  within. 

"  And  so  this  is  your  first  sight  of  Fairlawn  ?  " 
the  Judge  exclaimed,  as  he  spread  wide  the  tails  of 
his  coat  and  settled  himself  comfortably  at  the 
dinner-table. 

For  forty  years  no  one  had  ever  seen  James  Cas- 
son  in  anything  but  black  broad-cloth  and  a  frock 
coat  (a  Prince  Albert,  as  Egerton  knew  it)  ;  except 
on  the  most  formal  occasions  when  he  donned  a 
"  swallow-tail,"  as  he  styled  it,  of  very  ancient 
vintage;  no  matter  what  the  heat,  it  was  the  only 
costume  he  wore,  as  the  only  one  suitable  for  a 
gentleman  in  general,  and  a  lawyer  in  particular. 
He  had  been  scandalized  to  profanity  when  the  sack 
suit  of  variegated  hue  entered  within  the  sacred 
precincts  of  the  Bar;  and  the  day  that  an  im- 
pious law-student  appeared  there,  in  a  blazer  of 
his  alma  mater's  colors  and  white  flannel  trousers, 
the  old  man  had  suffered  a  nervous  shock  which 


COUNSELLOR  AND  FRIEND  49 

totally  unfitted  him  for  service  that  entire  trial- 
week.  Lucky,  indeed,  was  it  for  the  comfort  and 
freedom  of  the  Bar  of  Egerton  that  he  no  longer 
sat  upon  the  Bench,  and  that  he  belonged  to  the 
minority  party  now  and  so  had  no  chance  to  return 
there,  save  by  appointment — which,  indeed,  was  no 
chance  at  all,  for  he  was  not  "  in  line." 

"  Yes,"  said  Harwood,  "  this  is  my  first  sight  of 
Fairlawn;  indeed,  I  had  never  so  much  as  seen  a 
picture  of  it." 

"  And  what  do  you  think  of  it,  sir ;  what  do  you 
think  of  it? — Are  you  not  proud  of  it?  " 

"  Who  wouldn't  be " 

"  Exactly !  who  wouldn't  be  ?  "  the  Judge  cut  in, 
"  who  wouldn't  be?  A  poor  sort  of  man  who  could 
look  upon  this  place  as  master,  and  look  unmoved. 
Why,  bless  you,  sir,  I've  come  to  feel  that,  after  a 
Harwood,  it  belongs  to  a  Casson ;  we  have  been 
associated  with  it  since  the  first  stone  was  laid; 
nay,  before;  a  Casson  wrote  the  deed  to  Captain 
Harwood ;  a  Casson  has  been  the  Harwood's  counsel 
or  his  guardian,  ever  since."  He  arose  and  raised 
his  glass.  "  I  give  you  Fairlawn,  sir,  and  its  new 
lord ! " 

"  And  I,"  said  Colleton,  motioning  William  to 
replenish  the  Judge's  wine,  **  I  give  you  Casson — 
Fairlawn's  and  Harwood's  friend !  " 

The  Judge  bowed  low  in  response,  and  drank 
slowly  and  with  feeling. 

"  Friends  the  families  have  always  been,  sir,"  he 
4 


50  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

began,  as  soon  as  he  found  his  chair ;  "  friends 
since  they  settled  near  each  other,  out  there  in 
West  Creek  Valley,  more  than  a  century  and  a  half 
ago.  Beverly  Harwood  and  James  Casson  were 
class-mates  at  Princeton,  when  they  went  together 
as  Ensigns  in  the  Continental  Line.  My  ancestor 
resigned  after  two  years'  service  and  returned  to 
his  college,  yours  served  to  the  end  of  the  war. 
What  mine  should  have  done,  sir,  what  mine  should 
have  done!  To-day,  sir,  Captain  Beverly  Har- 
wood's  diploma,  as  an  Original  Member  of  the 
Order  of  the  Cincinnati,  hangs  in  yonder  li- 
brary; and  you,  as  his  nearest  male  descendant, 
inherit  his  right  and  the  Eagle;  while  I — well,  I 
don't — because  my  grandfather  didn't  stay  long 
enough  with  the  Colors  to  qualify  him  to  join. 
And  for  that,  sir,  and  with  all  due  respect  to  his 
memory  and  his  virtues,  I  have  always  borne  him  a 
grudge,  and  I  always  shall." 

"  I  confess  I  didn't  know  we  had  the  Cincinnati 
in  the  family,"  said  Colleton.  "  I " 

"  Just  so,  sir,  just  so !  it  is  usually  those  who 
haven't  it  who  value  it.  Now  there's  your  predeces- 
sor, God  rest  his  soul !  I  had  the  devil's  own  time 
in  persuading  him  to  join — I  wrote  out  his  papers 
myself ;  and  the  unappreciative  boy  never  even  wore 
the  rosette." 

Somehow,  the  old  man's  vehement  enthusiasm,  here 
in  the  shrine  of  his  family's  past,  stirred  Har- 
wood's  dormant  pride  of  caste.  Like  every  Amer- 


COUNSELLOR  AND  FRIEND  51 

ican  who  knows  anything  of  his  country's  history, 
he  was,  of  course,  familiar  in  a  general  way  with 
the  Cincinnati,  but  to  him  it  was  only  an  abstract 
incident,  without  any  personal  application.  Yes- 
terday, he  would  have  been  indifferent,  maybe 
cynical,  as  to  membership;  to-day,  the  atmosphere 
of  Fairlawn  was  heavy  upon  him.  He  turned  to 
the  butler. 

"  Bring  the  diploma  here !  "  he  ordered. 

He  leaned  forward  and  examined  the  old  parch- 
ment, in  its  gilt  frame,  yellowed  a  bit  by  age,  yet 
faded  not  at  all. 

"  Be  it  known  that  Beverly  Harwood  Esquire — is  a 
Member  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati;  instituted 
by  the  Officers  of  the  American  Army,  at  the  Period 
of  its  Dissolution,  as  well  to  Commemorate  the  great 
Event  which  gave  Independence  to  North  America 
as  for  the  laudable  Purpose  of  inculcating  the  Duty 
of  laying  down  in  Peace  Arms  assumed  for  public 
Defence,  and  of  uniting  in  Acts  of  brotherly  Affec- 
tion and  Bonds  of  perpetual  Friendships  the  Mem- 
bers constituting  the  same. 

"  In  testimony  whereof  I,  the  President  of  the  said 
Society,  have  hereunto  set  my  Hand  at  Mount 
Vernon,  in  the  State  of  Virginia  this  Twenty-Sixth 
Day  of  April  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  One  Thousand 
Seven  Hundred  and  Eighty-seven  and  in  the  Eleventh 
Year  of  the  Independance  of  the  United  States. 

"By  order, 

"  H.  KNOX,  "  G.  WASHINGTON, 

"  Secretary.  "  President." 

Slowly  he  read  it  through;  lingering  at  the  end 
over  the  signatures. 


52          THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Judge  Casson  watched  him  with  a  shrewd  smile. 
The  diploma  would  win. 

"  And  you  say  I  am  entitled  to  membership  ?  " 
Harwood  asked.  "  Will  you  prepare  my  papers  ?  " 

"  That  I  will,  and  gladly.  I  happen  to  have  an 
extra  set  at  the  office,  left  over  from  your  cousin's 
case ;  as  well  as  a  copy  of  all  the  necessary  data.  I 
shall  have  it  ready  for  your  signature  to-morrow, 
sir.  We  must  move  quickly  if  you  are  to  be  ad- 
mitted this  Fourth  of  July ;  if  you  miss  it,  you  will 
have  to  wait  another  year." 

"  Very  well !  "  Colleton  laughed,  "  since  you've 
headed  me  for  the  hurdle  I  may  as  well  take  it  this 
year  as  next,"  and  he  waved  his  champagne  glass 
at  the  Judge  and  gave  him  an  excuse  for  a  fresh 
supply — though,  had  he  been  guilty  of  watching 
his  guest,  he  would  have  observed  that  no  excuse 
was  needed. 

And  Judge  Casson,  having  accomplished  his 
object  in  regard  to  the  Cincinnati,  dropped  the 
subject  promptly.  "  When  you  have  got  from 
a  witness  what  you  want,  stop ! "  he  had  been  for- 
ever dinging  in  the  ears  of  his  students,  and  he 
never  forgot  it  himself. 

He  glided  smoothly  into  the  new  line  opened  by 
his  host's  figurative  remark. 

"  Speaking  of  hurdles,  I  suppose  you  ride  to 
hounds  ?  " 

"  I'm  afraid  it  is  at  them  rather  than  to  them," 
said  Harwood.  "  I'm  fond  enough  of  a  horse,  of 


COUNSELLOR  AND  FRIEND  53 

course,  but  I  ride  very  indifferently.  I'm  lazy,  I 
think;  and  the  automobile  appeals — 

Too  late  he  remembered  the  butler's  warning. 

The  old  man  flung  up  his  head,  his  little,  wizened, 
clean-shaven  face  puckered  like  a  persimmon,  his 
small  eyes  snapping,  behind  the  gold-rimmed  spec- 
tacles that  hung  far  down  on  his  stubby  nose. 

"  Automobiles,  did  you  say ! "  he  exclaimed ; 
"  prefer  them  to  God's  noblest  friend  to  man ! — 
I'm  astonished,  sir ! — I  beg  your  pardon — but  don't 
let  us  get  on  the  subject.  Automobiles  are  the  in- 
veation  of  hell,  and  eternal  damnation  ought  to  be 
the  portion  of  those  who  own  them."  He  drained 
his  glass  and  held  it  for  another  service.  "  Not 
you,  sir !  "  he  smiled,  "  as  the  Harwood  and  my 
friend,  you  are  exempt  from  the  condemnation — 
but  no  one  else,  no  one  else !  We  were  speaking 
of  horses — we  have  some  fine  ones  in  Egerton; 
indeed,  there  are  a  few  in  your  own  stables  that  are 
hard  to  get  by.  We  draw  Buzzard  Hill  on 
Saturday." 

"  Isn't  it  rather  late  for  hunting  ?  " 

"  Not  for  Egerton,  sir ;  we  keep  it  up  until  next 
week — the  farmers  don't  object,  you  see.  We  shall 
look  for  you  at  the  meet  on  Saturday,  of  course." 

"  I'm  very  sorry,"  said  Harwood ;  "  I  am  obliged 
to  be  in  Northumberland  that  day." 

"  My  dear  sir,  surely  you  are  not  leaving  us  so 
soon!  Why  you  haven't  met  any  one;  nor  seen 
anything  of  this  battle-field.  It's  a  rare  sight;  as 


54 

much  for  what  it  ought  not  to  be  as  for  what 
it  is.  Can't  you,  at  least,  remain  for  Saturday? 
Buzzard  Hill  is  the  sportiest  country  we  have,  and 
there  is  always  a  big  field  out,  with  plenty  of  ladies. 
And,  speaking  of  the  ladies,  sir,  you  should  see 
how  straight  ours  ride.  None  better  in  the  world, 
sir! — not  even  in  John  Bull's  little  cockle-shell  of 
an  island.  They  inherit  it,  sir — their  parents  and 
their  grand-parents  hunted  these  same  courses.  Oh, 
you  must  stay !  "  with  a  wave  of  his  hand  and  his 
genially  persuasive  smile ;  "  let  Northumberland 
wait  a  day  or  two;  it  has  had  you  all  your  life 
hitherto ;  you  belong  here  now." 

Colleton  laughed  and  shook  his  head.  "  I'm 
sorry,  indeed;  I  should  like  nothing  better  than  to 
be  in  the  hunt ;  and  another  time  I  shall,  and  soon ; 
but  I'm  under  strict  engagement  to  be  in  North- 
umberland on  Saturday."  He  looked  over  his  wine- 
glass at  the  other.  "  You  wouldn't  have  me  disap- 
point a  very  pretty  woman,  Judge  Casson ! " 

"  Far  be  it  from  me,  sir,  to  suggest  such  a 
lamentable  action ! "  the  small  gray  eyes  drilling 
across  the  table  in  intense  curiosity.  He  knew 
Harwood  was  not  married ;  but  was  it,  then,  that  the 
future  mistress  of  Fairlawn  had  already  been  se- 
lected? And  he  had  been  felicitating  himself  that 
the  Egerton  girls  would  have  a  chance.  "  I  thought 
it  was  only  a  business  engagement;  but,  a  lady!  you 
must  go,  of  course — honor  calls !  " 

"  And  duty !  "  Harwood  appended. 


COUNSELLOR  AND  FRIEND  55 

Judge  Casson  moved  a  bit  forward  in  anticipa- 
tion ;  under  his  code,  curiosity  might  not  move  his 
tongue. 

"  Duty,"  the  other  went  on,  "as  captain  of  the 
tennis  team  of  the  Northumberland  Golf  Club." 

The  Judge  straightened  sharply.  "  I  should  not 
excuse  you,  sir,  on  that  account.  It's  the  lady  only 
that  releases  you — please  tell  her  so,  sir,  with  my 
compliments." 

"  I'll  do  better  than  that— I'll  let  you  tell  her 
yourself — she  will  be  here  next  week." 

"  Here — next  week !  "  aiming  his  tones  for  polite 
surprise,  and  succeeding  amazingly. 

Harwood  nodded.  It  was  really  unkind  the  way 
he  played  the  old  man  on. 

"  I'm  bringing  a  house-party  back  with  me  on 
Monday,"  he  said.  "  She  has  asked  the  others,  so 
I  don't  know  who  they  are;  but  I  can  promise  you 
some  mighty  good  lookers — though  none  so  pretty 
as  the  lady  herself." 

"  Naturally  not,  sir,  naturally  not !  I  shall  be  all 
impatient  to  greet  her." 

"  And  the  others,  too,  Judge ;  you  mustn't  over- 
look them — and  you  won't,  I  know — not  with  your 
fine  eye  for  the  beautiful." 

The  Judge  puckered  his  lips  into  a  sly  smile. 

"  Trust  me  for  a  pretty  woman,"  he  returned ; 
"  I  can  spot  them  as  quick  as  a  lying  witness  on 
the  stand.  Not  a  very  happy  comparison,  maybe, 
but  you  understand,  sir." 


56  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  My  dear  Judge  Casson !  you  and  I  are  not 
going  to  misunderstand  each  other;  you  have  my 
hearty  invitation  now  to  come  out  next  Monday  for 
dinner,  and  look  them  all  over,  and  take  your  pick." 

"  Save  one,  of  course." 

Colleton  laughed.  "  Nay,  save  none ;  if  I'm 
not  able  to  hold  my  own,  I  best  know  it." 

"  Very  true,  my  boy,  very  true ! — and  women 
are  queer  birds  of  passage,  and  seek  strange  roosts. 
I've  known  not  a  few  who  would  perch  on  an  old 
head  such  as  mine,  instead  of  a  fine  young  one  like 
yours.  Though  mostly,  I  admit,  the  old  head  pos- 
sessed an  extra-corporeal  attraction  which  the 
young  one  did  not :  But  with  us,  my  boy,  the  extra- 
corporeal  situation  is  reversed." 

"  But  it  isn't  reversed,  I  venture  to  say,  with 
you  and  the  other  men  of  Egerton — and  there  are 
pretty  girls  here,  I  know.  In  fact,  I  saw  one  this 
afternoon,  who  might  be  called  a  beauty — slender 
figure,  Titian  hair,  long  lashes,  peach-blow  cheek. 
Truly,  my  dear  sir,  she  was  marvellously  hand- 
some." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  think  I  can  guess  who  she  is — you 
saw  her  on  the  avenue  in  front,  I  suppose." 

"  Not  at  all,  I  saw  her  in  my  own  garden." 

The  Judge  put  down  his  fork  so  sharply  the 
plate  rang. 

"  In  your  garden  !  "  he  echoed. 

Harwood  nodded. 

"  Was  there  a  little,  white  toy-dog  with  her? — 


COUNSELLOR  AND  FRIEND  57 

Ah,  I  thought  as  much.  That  young  woman  will 
always  be  doing  unconventional  things — she  has 
Egerton  by  the  ears  constantly.  If  she  were  not 
so  pretty  and  so  rich,  she  long  ago  would  have 
been  put  into  outer  darkness." 

"  The  which  darkness,"  Colleton  observed,  "  I 
rather  fancy  would  very  soon  have  had  plenty  of 
Egertonian  denizens — of  the  male  persuasion — 
yourself  among  them;  hey,  Judge?" 

The  Judge's  white  waistcoat  rustled  perceptibly. 

"  You're  a  sly  dog,  my  boy,  a  sly  dog ! — I  confess 
to  a  slight,  a  very  slight,  weakness  in  that  direction 
— purely  paternal,  of  course — and  aesthetic." 

"  The  love  of  the  beautiful  in  the  concrete ! " 
Harwood  laughed.  "  I  quite  understand ;  I'm 
somewhat  that  way  myself.  I  don't  suppose  you 
even  know  her  name ! " 

"  Ho !  ho !  I  see !  she  flirted  with  you  in  your 
own  garden,  and  yet  it's  you  who  don't  know  her 
name." 

"Guilty!"  laughed  Colleton,  "guilty!  who  is 
she?" 

Judge  Casson  held  up  his  glass  for  William's 
attention ;  then  he  arose. 

"  I  give  you,  sir,  your  neighbor  of  The  Oaks ! — 
she  of  the  Titian  hair  and  peach-blow  cheek — a 
happy  designation,  sir: — Mistress  Mildred  Gas- 
coyne."  He  drained  the  champagne  to  the  drop, 
and  replaced  the  glass.  "  It  is  only  out  of  regard 
for  this  beautiful  crystal  that  I  do  not  shatter  it 


58  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

on  the  hearth  stones,  but  I  assure  you  it  could  not 
die  more  worthily." 

"  It  was  a  pretty  custom  of  our  forefathers," 
said  his  host,  "  though  rather  destructive,  and  a 
bit  risky  late  in  the  evening,  when  their  aim  was 
apt  to  be  a  trifle  shaky,  and  their  tempers  somewhat 
gusty." 

"  The  younger  generation,  I  fear,  has  not  the 
sentiment  of  the  old,"  the  Judge  returned,  shaking 
his  head. 

"  At  all  events,  we  don't  run  to  such  pictu- 
resque demonstrations — they  call  for  small-clothes 
and  ruffled  shirts,  dress-swords  and  powdered  hair. 
But  the  ladies  are  the  same,  my  dear  Judge — and  by 
Mistress  Mildred  Gascoyne,  do  you  mean  wife  or 
maid?  " 

"  Neither,  sir — the  lady  is  a  widow." 

"  I  see !  "  said  Harwood,  "  I  see !  Now  I  under- 
stand something  of  the  havoc  she  has  played  among 
you ;  beware  of  the  widow,  Judge,  and  particularly 
a  young  one  with  beauty  and  a  bank  account.  I 
can  imagine  her  popularity  with  the  women  of 
Egerton  isn't  of  the  burning  sort,  even  if  she  is 
one  of  them." 

"But  she  isn't — she  is  a  stranger;  she  came 
here  only  last  Autumn,  stayed  a  week  or  two  at 
one  of  the  hotels,  then  suddenly  rented  The  Oaks, 
and  spent  a  lot  of  money  on  it;  and  what  with 
that,  and  herself,  Egerton  accepted  her,  and  every- 
body called.  Not  that  she  sought  us;  in  fact,  she 


COUNSELLOR  AND  FRIEND  59 

held  herself  rather  aloof  for  a  time — and  does  so 
still,  indeed.  She  mingles  very  little  with  general 
society,  maintaining  a — a — salon,  if  you  please, 
where,  however,  every  one  is  welcome;  and  where 
the  ways  are  a  bit  freer  than  some  of  our  people 
quite  approve.  Her  one  passion  seems  to  be  horses 
— not  automobiles,  sir ;  she  never  misses  a  meet ;  and 
there  are  few  of  us,  sir,  who  can  show  her  the  way 
when  the  pack  is  running." 

"  In  every  respect,"  said  Harwood,  "  I  seem  to 
be  most  fortunate  in  my  neighbor.  I  shall  try  to 
be  on  good  terms  with  her." 

"  Of  course  you  will,  my  boy ! "  the  old  Judge 
smiled ;  "  and  I  haven't  the  remotest  doubt  that  you 
will  succeed;  you  are  more  of  her  world  than  we 
are." 

"  What  is  her  world?  " 

The  Judge  shook  his  head.  "  Of  her  past  we 
know  very  little,  despite  the  intense  interest  of 
some  of  our  good  women  in  it.  She  never  confides 
in  any  one — her  talk  is  impersonal  as  to  her  ante- 
cedents and  her  ancestors.  I  am  her  counsel,  and 
I  think,  therefore,  as  intimate  with  her  as  any  one 
in  Egerton,  and  yet  I  say  to  you,  sir,  I  know  noth- 
ing of  her  history.  Naturally  I  would  not  tell  it 
if  I  did — but  I  don't — not  even  her  family  name. 
But  what  I  do  know,  and  what  all  Egerton  knows, 
is  that  she  is  a  lady — doing  some  things  differently 
from  us,  it  is  true,  but  a  lady  none  the  less — and 
as  such  we  have  accepted  her." 


60  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  My  dear  Judge  Casson !  "  Harwood  protested, 
"  I  meant  no  reflection  upon  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  I  assure 
you — I  was  simply  interestedly  curious 

"  I  understand,  my  boy,  I  never  misunderstood — 
but  you  know  the  saying  anent  a  pretty  face  and 
an  old  fool — and  so  I  like  to  break  a  lance  for  her, 
even  though  I  know  it  is  against  a  windmill." 

Harwood  passed  this  opening  for  further  chaff. 

"  Really,  sir,"  he  said ;  "  if  these  marvels  con- 
tinue I  shall  think  I  have  eaten  hashish.  Out  of  the 
city  of  mushrooms  and  modernity,  I  enter,  all  un- 
suspecting, this  atmosphere  of  calm  and  poise — 
this  house  of  a  century's  dignity — this  garden  of 
the  past ;  and  now — is  added  the  beautiful  woman 
of  mystery." 

"  Fascination,  thy  name  is  Fairlawn !  "  the  Judge 
incanted,  waving  his  fork  as  though  it  were  a  wand. 
"What  other  spell  shall  Merlin  weave?" 

"  None,  O  prince  of  magicians ! "  laughed  Col- 
leton — "  else  shall  I  be  forsworn  on  Saturday." 

"  And  I  shall  lose  all  chance  to  see  the  lady  of 
Northumberland — enough !  I  necromance  no  more 
this  night.  I  return  to  my  proper  avocation,  and 
this  marvellous  champagne." 

The  butler  was  just  entering  from  the  pantry  and 
so  did  not  catch  the  cue. 

"  William,"  said  Harwood,  "  the  wine." 

The  old  Judge  turned  and  looked  at  the  negro, 
over  his  glasses. 

"  *  William! '  did  you  call  him,  sir?  "  he  asked, 


COUNSELLOR  AND  FRIEND  61 

"  that  good  for  nothing  young  nigger !  His  name 
is  Ccesarion;  don't  let  him  start  any  of  his  high- 
falutinness  on  you,  sir.  '  William,'  indeed !  Pretty 
soon  he  will  be  copying  the  mannerisms  of  the  smug- 
faced  white  monkey  at  The  Oaks.  What  in  the 
devil  Mrs.  Gascoyne  sees  in  having  a  mechanical 
toy  for  a  butler,  I  can't  imagine !  Emulate  old 
Csesar,  your  father,  boy ;  he  understood  his  business 
— and  so  do  you,  too,  if  you  don't  get  above  it.  ... 
Pardon  my  interfering  with  one  of  your  household, 
sir,"  he  said,  as  the  son  of  Caesar  and  Cleopatra 
took  the  chance  to  escape  with  some  dishes,  "  but  I 
feel  a  little  responsible  for  these  servants  until  you 
get  your  hand  in  on  them.  A  negro  is  a  queer 
creature,  sir,  and  if  I,  who  have  been  master  here 
lately,  you  know,  had  let  that  change  of  name 
slide  by  without  remark,  there  would  have  been 
trouble  in  reversing  it,  and  discipline  would  have 
suffered  sadly." 

"  But  I'm  not  so  sure  I  don't  prefer  the  new 
name  to  the  old,"  said  Harwood. 

"  Very  good,  my  boy,  very  good !  but  it's  you  who 
must  change  it,  not  he.  The  negro  is  a  child,  sir — 
easy  to  manage  if  you  understand  him;  worthless 
and  trifling  if  you  don't.  And  as  he  is  handled,  is 
he  either  the  best  servant  in  the  world,  or  the 
worst.  Bear  in  mind,  sir,  that,  as  a  general  prin- 
ciple, he  has  neither  gratitude  nor  resentment — 
and  further,  that  where  he  is  accorded  a  privilege 
beyond  the  regular  rules,  he  must  be  made  to  realize 


6£  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

that  it  comes  as  a  favor,  and  by  your  grace, 
not  by  his  right.  And  this  Csesarion — William,  if 
you  wish — is  just  the  same,  despite  the  smattering 
of  college,  which  your  predecessor  in  some  unfor- 
tunate moment  inflicted  upon  him — and  us;  for  we 
have  felt  the  effect  upon  every  black  in  the  town ; 
a  certain  uplift,  as  it  were,  which  unsettles  them, 
and  yet  is  hard  to  reach  in  a  disciplining  way." 

"  William  has  told  me  he  thinks  his  education 
was  likely  a  mistake — that  God  meant  the  negro 
for  a  servant  and  learning  only  unfitted  him." 

"  Exactly  ! — the  boy  has  sense — he  wouldn't  be 
old  Caesar's  son  if  he  hadn't ;  he  will  come  out  all 
right,  sir,  if  you  don't  spoil  him;  but  he  will  never 
be  the  equal  of  his  father — there,  sir,  was  a  servant 
to  delight  the  soul.  But  enough  of  this  subject! — 
it  will  interest  you  more  when  you  have  had  a 
little  further  experience  with  the  race;  then,  pray 
consult  me." 

Near  midnight,  when  Harwood  escorted  his  guest 
to  the  piazza,  the  ripple  of  a  piano  came  from  some- 
where in  the  darkness ;  the  Judge  raised  his  hand, 
and  they  listened. 

"  It  is  she— at  The  Oaks !  "  he  said.  "  She  plays 
divinely ;  you  must  hear  her." 

"  I  hope  to,"  said  Colleton,  "  to-morrow  at  five — 
by  special  appointment.  Is  there  any  particular 
subject  the  mysterious  lady  bars?  " 

"  Yes ! "  said  the  Judge,  as  he  climbed  into  his 
runabout,  "  husbands,  sir,  husbands !  " 


IV 

MILADY    OF    THE    OAKS 

THERE  was  no  date  in  the  corner-stone  of  The 
Oaks,  and  none  was  needed;  the  architecture  fixed 
it  with  all  the  accuracy  of  figures.  It  belonged  to 
the  brief  period  of  the  mansard-roof,  dormer- 
window,  central -tower  atrocity,  that  was  so  soon 
overtaken  by  the  Queen  Anne  debauch  of  angles  and 
frothy,  scroll-saw  decoration. 

It  stood  a  trifle  further  back  from  the  roadway 
than  did  Fairlawn,  behind  a  hedge  of  evergreen, 
and  a  clump  of  fine  large  oaks  that  towered  over 
the  lawn  and  wrapped  the  house  in  shade,  and  also 
in  a  dignity  quite  unfitting  to  either  itself  or  its 
builders.  The  latter  had  been  overbalanced  by  a 
sudden  acquisition  of  small  wealth,  and,  as  usual, 
had  run  to  a  residence  and  expensive  habits ;  with 
the  result,  that  when  the  mansard-roof  got  to  leak- 
ing— which  in  such  houses  always  happened  soon, 
and  frequently — it  required  pinching  to  pay  for 
the  incessant  repairs.  And  so  the  social  coup  the 
family  had  planned — even  in  Egerton  they  did  not 
"  belong  "  — was  never  struck ;  and  after  a  time  they 
sold  the  place  at  a  sacrifice  and  moved  away  to 
another  town.  Since  then,  there  had  been  several 
owners ;  the  last  being  the  Judsons,  who  were  glad 
to  rent  to  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  while  they  went  off  for  a 

63 


64  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

year's  experience  in  European  pensions.  With  the 
Judsons,  The  Oaks  had  at  last  moved  into  the 
charmed  circle  its  builders  had  aimed  at  and  missed ; 
and  while  it  had  effected  no  alteration  in  its  ugly 
exterior,  it  had  worked  wonders  in  the  taste  and 
character  of  the  interior  arrangements  and  furnish- 
ings. It  was  the  interior  that  had  attracted  Mrs. 
Gascoyne;  that,  and  the  turf,  and  the  trees,  and 
the  situation  on  the  ridge. 

And  it  was  on  the  lawn  under  the  oaks,  that 
Harwood  found  her,  when  he  came  to  pay  his  neigh- 
borly visit  the  following  afternoon. 

"  It  has  been  a  long  wait  until  five  o'clock ! "  he 
said  as  he  bowed  over  her  hand,  with  that  naturally 
deferential  graciousness,  which  appeals  so  to  women, 
and  which  few  men  seem  to  possess.  He  waved  his 
stick  toward  the  town,  where  the  clock  in  the  court- 
house tower  was  just  striking  the  hour.  "  You  see, 
my  impatience  has  made  me  over-prompt." 

"  And  yet,  men  are  not  curious ! "  she  laughed. 

"  Curious  !  "  Harwood  echoed.     "  I,  curious  ?  " 

"  Yes,  curious — to  have  a  good  look  at  me  in  the 
bright  light  of  day — that  is  why  I  came  out  here; 
indeed,"  with  a  quick  glance  through  the  long 
lashes,  "  I  was  half-minded  to  be  kind,  and  to  send 
for  you  this  morning  instead  of  obliging  you  to 
wait." 

"Then  you  do  not  object  to  curiosity?" 

She  smiled.  "  If  I  did,  I  should  have  fled  from 
Egerton  long  ago.  Besides,  there  are  degrees  of 


MILADY  OF  THE  OAKS  65 

curiosity ;  and  yours  is  of  the  non-impertinent  sort, 
the  languid,  indifferent  curiosity  of  the  well-bred 
and  blase,  which  it  is,  I  suppose,  rather  a  compli- 
ment even  to  have  aroused." 

Harwood  bent  over  the  little  dog,  who  was  lying 
on  the  rug  between  them. 

"  Chum,"  said  he,  "  you  know  your  mistress  best, 
which  would  you  rather  she  shouldn't  call  you — 
blase  or  impertinent?  " 

"  Tell  him,  there  never  has  been  occasion  to  call 
you  either,"  she  answered,  while  the  caniche  smiled 
up  at  her  and  spoke  softly.  "  And  ask  him  what 
Judge  Casson  told  him  about  your  mistress,  last 
evening.  I  suppose  there  was  champagne  at  dinner 
— ah,  I  see ;  "  as  she  caught  a  faint  gleam  in  Col- 
leton's  eyes,  "  the  combination  of  the  Harwood 
heir  and  bubbles  was  more  than  he  could  withstand. 
And  the  dear  old  Judge  is  such  an  ardent  friend; 
I  can  imagine  him  drinking  all  sorts  of  toasts  in 
my  praise,  and  telling  you  all  sorts  of  foolishness. 
He  wouldn't  act  so  with  any  one  but  you,  and 
in  the  joy  of  your  coming."  She  looked  at  him 
with  a  frank  smile  and  put  out  her  hand  in  quick 
appeal.  "  And  now  please  forget  all  about  it,  and 
let  us  begin  just  where  we  left  off  last  evening,  at 
the  postern  gate." 

He  made  no  move  to  take  her  hand.  He  knew  it 
was  not  meant  for  him  to  take. 

"  There  is  no  reason  that  I  should  forget  what 
Judge  Casson  said  of  you,"  he  answered. 
5 


66  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Oh,  I  know !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  but  I  don't  care 
for  a  halo  so  early  in  life;  it  really  doesn't  fit." 

Harwood  glanced  at  the  gleaming  hair,  where  a 
slender  shaft  of  sunlight  danced  in  flame,  and 
smiled. 

"  Don't  say  it !  "  she  cried,  "  don't  say  it !  I'm 
sick  of  that  aureole  business — and  I  hate  red  hair! 
do  you  hear?  I  hate  red  hair."  She  sprang  up 
and  crossed  to  the  tea  table.  "  Will  you  have  lemon, 
or  cream?  " 

"  If  I  may,"  said  he,  "  I  will  not  have  anything." 

"  Yoii  mean  you  wish  it  plain  ?  " 

"  No.     I  mean  I  don't  wish  it  at  all." 

She  turned  and  regarded  him  with  a  smile. 

"  Do  you  know,"  she  said,  "  I  rather  thought  so 
— you  don't  look  like  one  of  the  cult." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Harwood,  "  thank  you 
heartily !  I  assure  you  I'm  not  of  the  cult.  When 
I  see  an  able-bodied  young  man  sipping  afternoon 
tea,  I  am  perfectly  sure  that,  in  secret,  he  either 
plays  with  paper-dolls  or  crochets." 

She  laughed.  "  I  know  it  affects  many  men  that 
way — yet,  really,  it's  not  absolutely  indefensible." 

"  Not  in  old  men  and  weaklings,  may  be ;  but 
otherwise,  nothing  excuses  except  hunger;  and  no 
man  has  any  justification  for  hunger  at  tea  hour." 

"  He  might  be  thirsty." 

"  Then  let  him  take  a  man's  drink,  water  or 
something  stronger! — besides,  who  ever  quenched 
thirst  with  hot  tea !  " 


MILADY  OF  THE  OAKS  67 

"  You  have  no  objection  to  iced-tea?  " 

"  Have  you  iced-tea  here  now  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Did  you  ever  see  it  served,  as  of  course,  at 
such  times?  " 

"  I  don't  recall  it,"  she  smiled ;  "  but  I  have  seen 
something  of  this  sort," — and  she  opened  a  shelf 
in  the  table,  disclosing  a  syphon  and  some  bottles. 

"  Which,  and  when?  "  she  said. 

"  Rye,  if  you  please  .   .  .  thank  you — I'll  fix  it." 

She  waved  him  off,  and  shot  in  the  soda  with  an 
easy  hand. 

"  There,  that's  better,  I  know — you  and  tea 
don't  fit,  I  should  have  been  surprised  had  you 
taken  it.  It's  different  in  England;  there  it's  a 
national  custom;  here  it's  still  a  fad,  proper  enough 
for  women,  but  an  effeminate  affectation  for  men." 

"  Chum,"  said  Harwood,  "  I  believe  your  mistress 
and  your  neighbor  are  going  to  hit  it  off  very  well." 
He  drew  out  his  cigarette  case.  "Ma}7  I  smoke? 
.  .  .  Will  you?" 

"  If  it  is  unmanly  to  drink  afternoon  tea,  isn't 
it  unwomanly  to  smoke  cigarettes  ? "  she  asked 
quizzically. 

"  Not  for  you ;  it  depends  on  the  woman,  and 
how  she  does  it,  and  where." 

"  Do  you  know,"  she  laughed,  "  that  pleases  me 
quite  as  much  as  my  tea  remark  pleased  you.  Of 
course,  I'll  have  a  cigarette  now — only,  for  heaven's 
sake,  tell  it  not  in  Egerton ! " 


68  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  It  would  be  shocked,  I  suppose,"  he  remarked, 
watching  her  deftly  draw  the  flame  to  the  tip  of  the 
cigarette  and  light  it  evenly  and  without  smearing 
the  wrapper ;  "  and  particularly  if  it  knew  what 
that  sort  of  dexterity  implies." 

She  blew  a  smoke-cloud  at  him.  "  You  observe 
quite  too  closely — I  shall  be  warned." 

"  Instead,"  said  he,  "  tell  me  something  of  this 
Egerton — give  me  a  line  on  it." 

"  It's  like  any  small  town ;  only  more  so,  in  some 
respects,  and  less  so  in  others." 

"  The  difficulty  is  I  know  nothing  of  country 
towns;  I've  always  imagined  them  stupid  and  un- 
comfortable and  depressing." 

"  As  drawn  in  the  so-called  realistic  stories !  "  she 
laughed.  "  Well,  such  places  may  exist  in  the 
imaginations  of  a  few  writers — usually  women, 
I'm  sorry  to  admit — who  are  suffering  with  morbid- 
mania  in  its  worst  form,  but  I'm  fairly  familiar 
with  small  towns,  and  I've  yet  to  find  any  such  as 
some  of  the  magazines  would  foist  on  us.  The 
trouble  about  this  present  realism  is,  that  it's  con- 
fined to  an  exaggeration  of  the  unpleasant  and 
sordid;  and  the  more  depressing  you  make  it,  the 
more  it  seems  to  appeal  to  the  editors.  Take 
Egerton,  for  example ;  a  small  town — less  than  four 
thousand  people — and  yet  it  is  full  of  romance." 

Harwood  smiled  rather  incredulously.  "  Ro- 
mance in  a  village ! — where  every  one  is  known,  and 
a  new  suit  is  spotted  instantly,  even  by  the  dogs ! " 


MILADY  OF  THE  OAKS  69 

"  Why,  don't  you  know,  m'sieur,  that  you  your- 
self are  a  romance — and  a  very  interesting  one — to 
Egerton;  and  that  Fairlawn  is  simply  steeped  in 
it?  " 

"  Good  Lord !  I,  a  romance !  How  can  I  quit 
it?" 

"  By  going  away,  and  passing  Fairlawn  on  to 
the  next  heir — or  by  marrying." 

"  And  which  would  you  recommend?  " 

She  regarded  him  with  a  thoughtful  smile. 

"  I  should  think  that,  even  to  you,  marriage 
would  be  preferable  to  losing  such  a  place  as  Fair- 
lawn,"  she  said.  "  And  there  are  any  number  of 
girls  down  yonder,  who  would  be  overjoyed  to  be 
its  mistress." 

"  Good,"  he  laughed,  "  good !  I  shall  go  down 
to-morrow  morning  and  look  them  over — or  may- 
be you  would  suggest  one  in  particular  that  likely 
should  be  satisfactory." 

She  shook  her  head.  "  I  leave  it  to  Judge  Cas- 
son ;  he  is  quite  competent — and  you  will  need  aid — 
there  are  quantities  of  pretty  ones." 

"  Any  with  dogs  like  Chum  ?  " 

She  gave  him  a  look  of  teasing  fascination. 

"  Not  unless  7  took  him  there !  "  she  said. 

"Will  you?" 

She  laughed ;  this  time  the  soft,  infectious  laugh 
that  had  stirred  Harwood's  memory  the  evening 
before,  in  the  garden. 

"  I  quite  forgot,  m'sieur,  to-morrow  is  the  morn- 


70  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

ing  for  Chum's  bath;  we  could  not  go.  I  am 
sorry ! " 

Harwood  flung  up  his  hands. 

"  Romance !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  romance  that  ends 
in  a  bath-tub!  I  pray  you,  milady,  may  I  have 
another  high-ball?  " 

He  watched  her  critically  while  she  was  preparing 
it.  There  was  no  denying  her  beauty — it  had  been 
evident  enough  in  the  dusk  of  the  garden,  now  it 
was  manifest  beyond  even  a  jealous  rival's  sneer. 
Small  wonder  that  she  had  turned  the  heads  of 
masculine  Egerton,  and  that  Judge  Casson  had 
wanted  to  shiver  the  glass  that  toasted  her.  And 
what  was  such  a  woman  doing  here,  in  this  quiet 
little  town ! — a  woman  of  twenty-five,  surely  not 
more,  with  a  face  and  figure  and  carriage  and 
walk  that  were — well,  like  no  woman  he  had  ever 
seen,  save  only  Evelyn  Leicester.  What  a  picture 
the  two  would  make  together!  and  in  that  wonder- 
ful drawing-room  at  Fairlawn,  under  the  great 
chandelier  of  many  candles,  amid  the  mirrors  and 
the  portraits 

She  turned  suddenly — and  again  came  the  soft, 
infectious  laugh. 

"  Have  you  seen  a  ghost?  "  she  asked. 

"  No,"  he  said ;  "  not  a  ghost — a  vision — and 
a  memory." 

"  Goodness !  I  should  never  have  thought  it  of 
you!" 

"  Nor  I.     It's  the  touch  of  Fairlawn  upon  me,  I 


MILADY  OF  THE  OAKS  71 

reckon.  Tell  me,  have  we  met  before — I  mean, 
haven't  I  seen  you  somewhere — there  is  something 

very  familiar  in  your  laugh;  I  am  sure It 

flashed  upon  him — it  was  the  laugh  of  her  of  the 
Grand  Canal. 

"  You  have  recalled!  "  she  said.     "  Was  it  I?  " 

"  I  have  recollected  where  I  heard  the  laugh,  but 
somehow  your  face  does  not  quite  fit  it — you 
understand?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  smiled,  "  I  understand." 

"  It  was  in  Venice,"  he  went  on.  "  You  have 
been  there?  " 

"  Only  once — last  year." 

He  shook  his  head.     "  It  was  two  years  ago." 

"  And  that,  I  suppose,  was  the  i  memory  ' ; — 
what  was  the  '  vision  '  ?  " 

"  You !  "  he  said ;  "  you  and  another." 

She  caught  her  breath,  and  a  frown  of  agitation 
tarried  a  moment  between  her  eyes. 

"  I  do  not  understand  !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Was 
it  a  vision  of  the  future  or  of  the  past  ?  " 

"  Of  the  future — I'll  show  it  to  you  next  week." 

"  But  the  other!   who  is  the  other?  " 

"  I'm  to  have  a  house-party  at  Fairlawn ;  the 
other  will  be  there." 

"  Man  or  woman  ?  "  she  insisted. 

"  Wait,"  he  laughed,  "  wait !  foreknowledge  does 
not  run  with  visions." 

"  And  where,  m'sieur,"  she  asked,  "  is  the  place 
of  the  vision  ?  " 


72  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  In  the  drawing-room  at  Fairlawn,  next  Monday 
evening,  when  you  come  to  dine." 

"  Am  I  to  take  that  as  an  invitation?  " 

"  Until  I  can  send  you  a  formal  one  under  hand 
and  seal." 

She  was  thoughtful  for  a  space. 

"  I  do  not  go  out  very  much ;  not  even  among 
the  Egertonians,"  she  explained.  "  I  think  I  would 
better  decline." 

"  I  won't  accept  it ! "  said  he.  "  You  are  not 
likely  to  know  any  one  there — why  shouldn't  you 
come?  " 

She  gave  him  a  questioning  look,  and  he  under- 
stood. 

"  Indeed,  I  wish  I  could  tell  you  who  they  will 
be,  but  I  can't — you  see,  I'm  not  inviting  them;  I 
delegated  that  to  another — the  other,  in  fact." 

"  They  come  Monday,  you  say  ?  " 

"  Monday  morning — I  shall  bring  them  back 
with  me  from  Northumberland." 

"  Well,"  she  said,  "  I'll  accept — if  I  may  have 
the  privilege  to  change  my  mind  any  time  before 
the  dinner  hour." 

"  Assuredly,  milady  !  "  he  laughed ;  "  that  is  only 
your  prerogative." 

He  knew  that  what  she  really  intended  was  to 
have  a  look  at  his  house-party  before  the  dinner 
hour,  and  that  upon  the  result  of  the  look  her 
coming  would  depend.  On  the  whole,  there  seemed 
to  be  plenty  of  romance  at  The  Oaks  itself ! 


THE  DOUBTFUL.  ONE  ON   THE   LIST 

HARWOOD  lingered  at  Egerton  until  the  last 
train  out,  on  Friday  afternoon,  that  would  enable 
him  to  reach  Northumberland  the  following  morn- 
ing. Pie  would  not  have  gone  at  all,  but  for  his 
engagement  with  Mrs.  Leicester  for  the  tennis 
tournament,  and  his  obligation,  as  host,  to  bring 
down  the  house-party.  He  regretted  now  that  he 
had  ever  suggested  the  latter;  much  rather  would 
he  have  remained  alone  at  Fairlawn,  to  loiter 
through  the  day  over  the  old  letters,  and  records, 
and  books  in  the  library;  to  wander  from  room  to 
room  admiring  the  tapestries  and  paintings,  the 
Chippendale,  Heppelwhite  and  Sheraton;  to  dream 
for  hours  at  a  time  in  the  garden,  amid  the  soft 
fragrance  of  the  fresh-blown  Cherokee  roses,  and 
sometimes — when  he  dropped  asleep — amid  the 
belles  and  beaux  of  former  days.  Sentimental? 
No — simply  sensitive  to  the  gentle  influence  of  the 
place,  the  call  of  the  Past,  the  dolce  far  niente 
which  he  had  never  known  hitherto,  and  which,  in 
the  rather  listless  and  wandering  life  he  had  been 
leading,  these  later  years,  appealed  to  him  as  that 
which  he  was  really  seeking,  and  yet  had  never 
found. 

He  had  dined  with  Judge  Casson,  there  to  meet 
73 


74  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

a  few  of  those  whom  it  befitted  him  to  know  and 
his  host  to  entertain.  And  he  had  found  them 
very  delightful  indeed;  and  while  their  small  talk 
was  not  so  facile  as  his  own,  he  quickly  noted  that 
in  a  general  knowledge  of  affairs  they  were  quite 
up  to  him,  and  in  matters  of  science  and  literature, 
maybe  a  bit  beyond.  Naturally,  in  world-acquaint- 
ance and  familiarity  with  the  life  of  the  Now,  he 
was  alone  at  the  board;  but  just  as  naturally  he 
did  not  parade  it.  It  is  ever  the  widest  traveller, 
and  the  most  thorough  cosmopolite,  who  talks  the 
least,  while  his  one-trip-to-Europe  brother  plumes 
and  ruffles  himself  as  the  lord  of  all  experience. 

But  what  impressed  Harwood  most,  was  that 
they  all  received  him  not  as  a  stranger  but  as  one 
of  them.  It  was  as  though  he  had  known  them 
from  childhood;  and  he  marvelled  at  it  even  while 
it  won  him,  having  yet  to  learn  that,  with  these 
people,  to  be  of  their  blood,  however  remote  in 
degree,  is  to  be  of  them,  and  that  to  be  vouched 
for  by  a  friend,  is  to  be  their  friend,  too. 

He  had  not  seen  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  again.  He  had 
sent  her  flowers  from  the  garden,  the  morning  after 
their  tea  together;  and  on  Friday  afternoon  he 
went  over  to  say  he  was  off  for  Northumberland, 
and  to  remind  her  of  the  dinner  date  for  the  fol- 
lowing Monday ;  but  she  was  gone  for  a  ride  to  the 
mountains  and  would  not  return  before  evening,  he 
was  told.  So  he  sent  her  more  flowers,  and  went 
down  to  the  station,  and  the  dirty  train  that 


THE  DOUBTFUL  ONE  ON  THE  LIST  75 

pounded  very  slowly  across  to  the  Capital,  where  he 
got  an  express  and  a  Pullman  which  put  him  in 
Northumberland  for  breakfast. 

He  took  the  noon  suburban  out  to  Heights,  half 
an  hour  down  the  river,  and  chanced  upon  Mrs. 
Leicester  doing  the  same. 

"  I  thought  you  would  motor  down !  "  he  said, 
taking  the  place  she  made  for  him  on  the  seat 
beside  her. 

"  I  had  to  do  some  shopping,"  she  explained ; 
"  but  I  sent  the  car  ahead ;  it  will  be  at  the  station. 
When  did  you  come  in?  " 

"  This  morning." 

She  turned  and  looked  him  over  critically. 

"  Well,  you  seem  to  have  been  able  to  stay  the 
limit  without  any  noticeable  hurt ! "  she  laughed. 
"  I  even  imagine  you  have  put  on  a  pound  or  two." 

"  Shouldn't  wonder  in  the  least ! — Cleopatra  is  a 
marvel ; — Cleopatra's  the  cook." 

"  What  a  tumble !  "  Mrs.  Leicester  exclaimed.  "  I 
suppose  the  butler  is  Caesar,  and  the  page  Caesarion." 

"  Was — Caesar  is  dead,  and  Csesarion  is  now  the 
butler." 

"  Do  you  mean  it?    really  ! "' 

He  nodded.  "  The  rest  of  the  force  are  not  so 
distinguished  historically,  but  they  all  are  mighty 
competent." 

"  When  a  man  approves  of  the  servants,  it's 
usually  rather  unnecessary  to  ask  if  he  likes  the 
place — but  do  you  ?  " 


76  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  The  truth  is,  I'm  quite  fascinated  by  Fairlawn," 
he  answered.  "  For  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I  have 
appreciated  that  home  could  mean  something  more 
than  a  place  to  eat,  and  to  sleep,  and  to  meet  one's 
family.  Call  the  big  residences  of  Northumberland, 
or  these  garish,  imitation  chateaux  down  here  at  the 
Heights,  homes  !  Lord,  it's  ridiculous  !  They  may 
be  homes  in  a  century  or  so;  now,  they  are  only 
megaphones  for  their  owners'  wealth.  Do  you 
know,  Evelyn,  I'm  beginning  to  understand  some- 
thing of  the  Englishman's  affection  for  his  family- 
seat — the  old  manor  house  or  castle  that  has  been 
theirs  for  generations." 

Most  women  would  have  twitted  him  about  his 
recent  scorn  of  sentiment,  but  Mrs.  Leicester  steered 
wide  of  any  such  mistake. 

"  And  all  this  is  due  to  Fairlawn ! "  she  said. 
"  Is  it  then  so  very  beautiful  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  it  is ;  but  its  calm  dignity  and 
inherent  gentility  are  what  appeal  to  me.  And 
the  marvellous  garden,  that  one  wants  never  to 
leave! — You  see,  Evelyn,  I  must  be  daffy  on  it 
when  flowers  appeal  to  me,  who  hardly  know  a 
carnation  from  a  rose." 

She  smiled  at  him  frankly,  amused  yet  surprised. 

"  It  must  be  a  wonderful  place,  this  Fairlawn 
of  yours,"  she  said ;  "  I  am  glad  I  shall  see  it  so 
soon." 

"  So  am  I — you  will  appreciate  it.  Who  are 
going?  " 


THE  DOUBTFUL  ONE  ON  THE  LIST  77 

"  I  asked  only  nine : — Mrs.  St.  George,  for  re- 
spectability and  the  proprieties." 

He  nodded.  "  Eminent  for  both,  and  an  all- 
round  good  chaperon.  Approved !  " 

"  Nancy  Willoby,  .  .  .  Hilda  Gordon,  .  .  . 
Rosalind  Spottswood,  .  .  .  and  Jane  Heyward." 

"  Bully,  my  dear,  bully !  Egerton  will  think  I'm 
entertaining  a  beauty-show.  How  in  the  world  did 
you  get  them?  " 

"  Get  them !  "  she  laughed.  "  The  trouble  was 
how  to  get  only  them.  The  girls  are  crazy  to  see 
you  in  the  role  of  host  and  housekeeper.  I've  made 
more  enemies  in  this  matter  than  I  can  win  back  in 
the  rest  of  my  days.  I  was  on  the  point  of  send- 
ing you  a  list  of  the  applicants  and  letting  you 
shoulder  your  own  burdens." 

"  Then  there  wouldn't  have  been  a  house-party !  " 
he  replied.  "  And  now  for  the  men — Tony  Wilber- 
force  for  one,  I  fancy." 

"  Of  course — Tony  is  always  essential ;  the  others 
are  Leigh  Burgoyne." 

He  nodded  approval. 

"  Talbot  Vanbrugh." 

Another  nod. 

"  Henry  Landor." 

This  time,  the  nod  was  a  bit  delayed. 

"  He  is  to  be  charged  against  Hilda  Gordon," 
Mrs.  Leicester  explained.  "  She  insisted  upon  him ; 
says  she  has  an  old  score  to  settle,  and  thinks  this 
is  just  the  opportunity.  Don't  you  like  Landor?  " 


78  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Oh,  I  reckon  he  is  all  right ;  only,  he  strikes  me 
as  being  a  trifle  new  for  the  crowd." 

"  Then  I'm  sorry  I  let  her  persuade  me.  I  told 
her  he  didn't  belong,  that  he  was  hardly  one  of  us  as 
yet;  and  she  said  that  even  though  he  had  been 
here  only  a.  few  years  and  not  much  was  known 
of  his  antecedents,  yet  he  went  every  place  (which 
is  true),  and  that  most  of  the  men  could  take  lessons 
from  him  in  good  manners." 

"  Which  is  also  true !  "  Harwood  laughed.  "  And 
there  is  no  denying  he  is  handsome.  So  don't  give 
it  another  thought,  my  dear,  I've  nothing  against 
him;  indeed  I  know  him  only  very  superficially." 
(He  might  have  added  that  it  was  the  only  way 
he  had  cared  to  know  him. )  "  If  he  misbehave,  we 
will  let  Hilda  discipline  him.  I  assume,  now,  that 
Tony  is  intended  particularly  for  Mrs.  Heyward — 
on  the  theory,  doubtless,  that  he  is  absolutely  safe 
even  for  a  pretty,  young  married-woman,  whose 
husband  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  world  with  a 
year's  sea-service  still  ahead." 

"  The  only  sorrow  I  have  now,"  she  went  on — 
"  since  you  have  been  so  good  about  Landor,is " 

The  train  stopped  with  a  jerk. 

"  This  is  Heights ! "  said  Harwood,  hastily. 
"  Come  along,  and  tell  me  your  troubles  on  the 
way  up." 

The  platform  and  drive  had  the  usual  Saturday 
gathering  of  children  and  pony-carts,  loafers,  vil- 
lagers and  motor-cars.  A  bunch  of  passengers 


THE  DOUBTFUL  ONE  ON  THE  LIST  79 

projected  themselves  into  this  aggregation,  to 
emerge,  more  or  less  quickly,  as  their  particular 
luck  or  conveyance  managed.  Mrs.  Leicester's  new 
Maja  stood  well  apart  from  the  crowd,  and  she 
and  Harwood  were  promptly  aboard  and  away. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  as  they  went  slowly  through  the 
village,  in  deference  to  the  local  speed  ordinance 
and  its  heartless  enforcement  by  the  authorities, 
"  what  was  this  sorrow  I  was  about  to  help  you 
bear,  when  the  unfeeling  train  interrupted?  " 

"  You  must  bear  it  yourself !  "  she  laughed — "  for 
my  part,  I'm  quite  content ;  my  sorrow  was  for  you 
—that  I  had  not  been  able  to  include  in  '  the  beauty- 
show,'  the  lady  of  the  Grand  Canal." 

"  It  isn't  necessary,"  he  replied.  "  She  has  a 
very  good  substitute  down  at  Egerton;  an  actual 
double,  indeed,  in  one  particular." 

She  swept  his  face  with  a  quick,  sidelong  glance. 
Just  how  much  had  this  substitute  to  do  with  his 
sudden  fondness  for  the  ancestral  home,  which, 
hitherto,  he  had  neglected  and  scorned? 

"  Have  they  gondolas  in  Egerton  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Not  unless  they  are  on  wheels.  Are  you  very 
curious  ?  "  he  teased. 

"  Of  course  I  am !     Tell  me  about  her." 

"  No — wait  until  you  see  her — she  will  dine  with 
us  Monday  evening." 

"  At  least,  Colleton,  tell  me  how  she  is  the  double 
of  the  Venetian  lady." 

"  In  her  laugh.     It  is  tone  for  tone." 


80  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  She  is  an  Egertonian  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head.  "  She  has  lived  there  only  a 
short  while." 

"  And  her  name?  " 

"  Gascoyne  —  Mildred  Gascoyne  —  age  about 
twenty-five — present  occupation,  a  widow." 

"  If  she  is  sensible,  she  will  stick  to  it ! "  Mrs. 
Leicester  laughed.  "  Who  is  she,  and  who  was 
she?" 

"  I  don't  know — no  one  knows  in  Egerton — nor 
where  she  came  from,  nor  anything  else  of  her 
history." 

"  And  yet  she  is  received  there?  " 

"  Yes ;  as  old  Judge  Casson  put  it : — '  She  is  a 
lady  V 

She  looked  up  at  him  quizzically. 

"  Does  she  live  very  close  to  Fairlawn  ?  "  she 
asked. 

"  On  the  next  place."  He  smiled  at  her  con- 
descendingly. "  You're  clever,  Evelyn,  but  you 
miss  it  now — I  was  there  but  once,  and  I  saw  her 
but  twice." 

"  And  I  shall  take  care  you  don't  see  her  too 
often  while  I'm  at  Fairlawn.  I've  promised  myself 
a  nice,  comfortable  time  with  you,  down  there.  We 
haven't  had  one  since — since  I  made  a  fool  of  myself 
with  Jack  Leicester ;  so  beware  how  you  go  straying 
off  after  this  woman  of  an  unknown  past  and  a 
fetching  laugh." 

"  Oh,  but  you  should  hear  the  laugh !    and  see 


THE  DOUBTFUL  ONE  ON  THE  LIST   81 

the  Titian  hair,  and  the  slender  figure — like  yours, 
Evelyn — and  the " 

"  Oh,  be  quiet !  "  she  exclaimed ;  "  I  shall  see  them 
socn  enough — and  don't  you  dare  let  her  see  you 
prefer  her  to  me,  when  I'm  there ! " 

He  leaned  back  in  the  corner  and  chuckled. 

"  Did  you  ever  know  me  to  prefer  another  woman 
when  you  were  near?  "  he  asked. 

She  gave  him  a  smile,  half  mocking,  half  pleased. 
"  I  never  knew  you  to  prefer  any  woman  when  I'm 
near — not  even  me." 

Again  came  the  chuckle.  "  Then  what  fear  of 
the  lady-with-the-laugh  ?  " 

"  Just  because  of  the  laugh ;  it  suggests  that 
other  woman." 

"  The  next  prettiest,  after  you  !  " 

"  Is  Mrs.  Gascoyne  after  me?  " 

"  Well,  you  see,  in  the  other  instance,  both  you 
and  Venice  are  brunettes,  but  in  this  case  " — sur- 
veying her  with  elaborate  deliberation — "  I  should 
say  it's  largely  a  question  of  preference  for  type. 
Your  hair  is  black,  hers  is  red,  your " 

"  Never  mind  the  items ! — which  type  do  you 
prefer?  " 

"  It  depends  entirely  upon  which  happens  to 
have  the  prettiest  girl  at  the  particular  time  I'm 
interested  in  types.  At  this  moment,  I  much  prefer 
the  brunette." 

"  And  down  at  Egerton  you  prefer  the  blonde?  " 

They  had  swung  around  the  last  curve  and  hit 
6 


82  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

the  straight-away  for  the  Club,  where  neither 
grade  nor  speed  ordinances  interfered,  and  with 
a  flash  and  a  whir  they  were  under  the  porte-cochere. 

"  Did  prefer  the  blonde?  "  he  amended,  with  well 
assumed  gravity,  as  he  helped  her  down.  "  But  I 
can  see  trouble  ahead  for  next  week." 

"  And  so  can  I !  "  she  smiled,  leaning  the  briefest 
interval  on  his  hand. 

A  tall,  well-set-up  man,  apparently  in  the  late 
thirties,  who  had  been  sitting  on  the  circular  end 
of  the  piazza,  near  the  drive,  got  up  hurriedly  and 
met  them  at  the  stairway. 

He  bowed  over  Mrs.  Leicester's  glove,  in  a  manner 
like  nothing  so  much  as  Harwood's  own,  then  held 
out  his  hand  to  Colleton. 

"  My  dear  Harwood,"  he  said,  "  thank  you  very 
much  for  the  bid ! — I  appreciate  it  rather  more  than 
you  may  believe." 

"Nonsense,  Landor!"  (it  was  the  first  time  he 
had  ever  omitted  the  formal  prefix)  "  and  besides, 
I'm  not  the  one  to  thank;  there  (nodding  after 
Evelyn  Leicester,  who  had  gone  on)  is  where  the 
credit  lies.  I  didn't  know,  until  a  few  minutes 
ago,  who  were  asked.  I  only  hope  you'll  have  a 
good  time.  It  will  be  rather  quiet,  I  fear,  but  we 
shall  find  something  to  do.  Just  now  I'm  thirsty — 
come  along." 

If  he  had  made  up  the  list,  Landor  would  not 
have  been  included,  pretty  Hilda  Gordon's  wishes, 
notwithstanding;  but  Harwood  never  borrowed 


THE  DOUBTFUL  ONE  ON  THE  LIST   83 

trouble  from  either  past  or  future,  so  he  adopted 
the  situation  and  tried  to  be  properly  cordial  and 
friendly.  That  Landor  should  accept  an  invitation 
to  be  the  house-guest  of  one  who,  he  must  have 
realized,  had  always  held  him  a  bit  at  length,  was 
not  especially  to  his  credit ;  yet  in  these  days  Har- 
wood  knew  that  much  must  not  be  expected  of  the 
taste  and  the  method  of  the  social  climbers.  The 
canons  of  good  breeding  are  not  for  them,  when 
they  raise  their  golden  ladders  and  begin  the  toil- 
some and  expensive  ascent. 

And  Landor  was  a  climber — not  quite  of  the  usual 
sort,  but  a  climber  none  the  less.  He  had  come  to 
Northumberland  two  years  before,  as  the  represen- 
tative of  ai.  Eastern  firm  of  bond-brokers.  This 
had  brought  him  speedily  into  rather  close  contact 
with  some  of  the  large  capitalists  and  money-inter- 
ests, and  his  fine  appearance  and  address  had 
quickly  won  him  acquaintanceship.  He  seemed  to 
have  an  ample  income — quite  willing  to  spend  it  and 
to  hazard  it — and  being  a  discriminating  and  politic 
loser  he  had  straightway  become  popular  with  a 
certain  class.  It  was  not  they  at  whom  he  aimed, 
but  they  were  necessary  as  a  starter;  and  through 
them  he  went  into  the  big  business  club.  They 
would  have  put  him  up  at  a  country  club  of  second 
rate,  but  there  he  was  wise — he  declined.  The 
Manufacturers  would  not  retard  him — the  hoi 
aristoi  were  in  it,  too;  but  when  it  came  to  the 
social  clubs,  it  was  for  him  the  Northumberland 


84  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

and  the  Heights;  and  he  knew  that  nothing  was 
such  a  handicap  to  the  stranger  as  membership  in 
one  of  the  common  herd's. 

So  he  bided  his  time  and  climbed,  cautiously,  smil- 
ingly, adroitly,  persistently;  in  a  year,  he  had 
crossed  the  walls  and  was  amid  the  hedges  of  the 
various  cliques.  It  was  typical  of  the  man  that  he 
chose  the  tightest  of  the  hedges  to  besiege.  And 
now  he  was  safely  inside.  It  was  his  charming  man- 
ners and  good  looks  that  had  caught  the  women — 
and  his  being  unattached  and  so  always  on  call 
when  they  needed  him.  There  may  have  been  a  few 
of  the  old  conservatives  who  still  regarded  him 
dubiously,  but  this  invitation  to  Fairlawn  would  con- 
vert even  them,  he  knew.  It  meant  the  end  of  his 
campaign.  Henceforth,  his  position  was  assured. 
It  was  too  vital  an  opportunity  to  be  put  aside  for 
any  such  trifling  scruple  as  that  he  might  not  know 
Harwood  sufficiently  well  to  be  his  guest ;  it  really 
was  a  matter  for  Harwood — and  if  Harwood  were 
at  last  willing  to  admit  him  to  intimacy,  he  had  no 
pride  that  would  oblige  him  to  decline. 

In  the  cafe,  Vanbrugh  joined  them,  and  for  a 
while  the  talk  was  tennis.  There  was  plenty  of 
rivalry  between  the  two  clubs,  in  the  way  of  sports, 
and  the  men  were,  maybe,  a  little  too  ready  to  make 
books  on  their  teams.  A  boy  had  just  brought 
to  Harwood  a  list  of  the  Heights  pairs,  and  he 
fell  to  studying  it,  and  then  to  arranging  the 
matches,  which,  as  visiting  captain,  was  his 


THE  DOUBTFUL  ONE  ON  THE  LIST   85 

privilege.  When  he  finished,  Landor  had  gone  to 
answer  a  telephone  call,  and  Tony  Wilberforce  was 
in  his  place. 

Harwood  pushed  the  paper  across. 

"  Hello,  Wilby !  didn't  hear  you  come  up,"  he 
said.  "  You  and  Van  take  a  look  and  make  your 
kicks — make  them  now,  not  after  the  game."  He 
raised  his  hand  to  a  waiter.  "  Let  me  have  the 
card,  please !  " 

Vanbrugh  and  Wilberforce  together  ran  over  the 
list,  while  Harwood  searched  for  his  luncheon. 

"  We  refuse  to  kick,"  said  Tony,  handing  back 
the  paper,  "  as  the  hospital  report  says,  *  you've 
done  as  well  as  can  be  expected  under  the  circum- 
stances.' What  are  we  going  to  eat?  " 

"  Better  wait  for  Landor,"  Vanbmgh  observed. 
"  He  said  he  would  be  back." 

Wilberforce's  cigarette  went  very  red  on  the  tip, 
and  he  blew  a  cloud  of  smoke  at  the  big  stein  on  the 
mantle  above  him. 

"  Harwood ! "  he  said,  "  it's  none  of  my  par- 
ticular affair,  I  know,  but,  between  the  three  of 
us,  just  why,  in  the  name  of  Balaam,  have  you 
included  Landor  in  this  crowd  next  week?  " 

"  He  may  be  useful,"  Harwood  laughed ;  "  I 
heard  a  woman  say  recently,  that  all  of  us  could 
learn  manners  from  him." 

"  Just  so !  He's  the  devil  among  the  petticoats, 
with  his  bow  and  his  smile;  but  I  didn't  imagine 
they  had  caught  you." 


86  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  I  rather  fancied  you  liked  Landor,"  said  Van- 
brugh ;  "  you  are  very  civil  to  him." 

"  I'm  obliged  to  be ;  one  meets  him  everywhere, 
and  he  is  always  in  the  game." 

"  What  Tony  objects  to  is  being  housed-up  with 
him  for  days,"  Harwood  explained.  "  I  quite  un- 
derstand his  point  of  view." 

"  Nonsense,  Colleton !  "  Wilberforce  cut  in,  "  I 
don't  object.  I  can  get  along  with  Landor  very 
well.  What  astonishes  me  is,  that  finical  you 
should  choose  him  for  a  guest." 

"  Maybe  I  didn't  choose  him,"  Harwood  smiled. 
"  Maybe  I'm  responsible  only  for  the  bid." 

"Huh!"  Wilberforce  ejaculated.  "The  silly 
petticoats  again ! " 

"  Shut  up !  "  said  Vanbrugh :  "  he's  coming." 

Wilberforce  glanced  up,  without  raising  his  head, 
and  watched  Landor  coming  down  the  room. 

"  Handsome !  "  he  muttered,  "  damned  handsome, 
I  admit !  but  the  yellow's  underneath,  all  right — 
and  some  time  it's  going  to  come  through." 


VI 

AT    THE    FOOT    OF    THE    STAIRWAY 

MRS.  GASCOYNE  closed  the  magazine  and  laid  it 
on  the  bench. 

"  There,  Chum,  I've  finished  '  The  Fourth  Dimen- 
sion,' and  Heaven  be  praised !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  I 
don't  understand  it  any  more  than  you  do,  and 
neither  does  the  man  who  wrote  it." 

The  dog,  lying  on  her  gown  at  her  feet,  looked 
up  with  a  curiously  peering  expression  and  wagged 
his  stumpy  tail. 

"  And  I  don't  approve  of  the  '  Dimension  '  any- 
way— you  might  stray  into  it,  Chum,  and  I  never 
find  you,  even  though  you  were  right  beside  me." 
She  dropped  her  hand  and  stroked  the  soft  white 
hair  with  the  tips  of  her  fingers.  "  Do  you  know, 
little  chap,"  she  said  presently,  "  that  this  is  our 
last  visit  in  this  beautiful  garden — at  least  for  a 
long,  long  time?  The  ogre  comes  back  to-day ;  the 
good-looking  stranger  you  saw  here  last  week,  and 
whom  we  both  liked — that  is,  whom  you  liked.  I 
liked  him  because  you  did — and  because  he  seemed 
to  like  you.  He  is  coming  here  to-day,  Chum; 
with  a  lot  of  friends  from  Northumberland;  and 
that  is  the  place  you  and  I  don't  care  for,  you 
know." 

87 


88  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

The  dog  smiled  up  at  his  mistress,  and  springing 
on  the  bench  nestled  close  against  her. 

"  The  ogre's  home  has  always  been  in  North- 
umberland," she  explained,  while  Chum  watched  her 
as  though  he  thoroughly  understood ;  "  but  now,  I 
suppose,  he  will  be  here  a  good  deal ;  and  if  he  per- 
sist in  bringing  a  lot  of  people  with  him,  you  and  I, 
boy,  will  have  to  move  away.  We  mustn't  take 

the  chance  of "  she  put  her  face  close  to  her 

pet's  fluffy  ear,  and  the  rest  of  the  words  were  lost. 

The  long  blast  of  a  locomotive  whistle,  from 
below  the  ridge,  aroused  her.  She  looked  at  her 
watch. 

"  Come,  Chum !  "  she  said,  "  we  must  be  going — 
the  ogre  is  on  that  train.  Say  good-by  to  the 
roses," — she  held  him  up  to  a  cluster  and  he  sniffed 
them  with  evident  pleasure — "  and  I'll  take  some 
along  for  us." 

She  put  him  down  and  gathered  a  bunch  of 
Cherokees.  Then  she  went  slowly  toward  the  pos- 
tern, pausing  for  farewell  at  mock-orange  and 
honey-suckle,  violet  and  rose,  and  finally  turning  at 
the  grille,  for  a  backward  look  and  a  final  hand- 
wave. 

"  Adlos!  "  she  said,  "  adios! — and  don't  forget 
me!" 

She  stayed  a  moment  longer,  then  closed  the 
gate  and  went  quickly  through  the  grass  to  the 
rear  entrance  of  The  Oaks. 

"  Come  along,  Chum ! "  she  said,  as  he  loitered, 


AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  STAIRWAY    89 

reading  the  latest  tale  of  the  scent,  through  the 
sensitive,  black  little  nose,  "  come  along,  or  we  shall 
miss  them." 

Chum  left  the  tale  unfinished  and  scampered 
ahead,  giving  the  cook  an  impudent  bark  of  greet- 
ing, as  she  called  to  him  from  the  kitchen  door, 
but  quite  ignoring  the  sad-faced,  droopy-eyed  but- 
ler who  admitted  them.  Brown  did  not  like  him, 
and  he  knew  it. 

From  a  window  on  the  second  floor,  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne  looked  out  toward  the  town.  A  cloud  of  red 
dust,  near  the  forks  of  the  road, was  the  background 
for  a  big  automobile.  She  picked  up  a  field  glass 
from  a  nearby  table,  and  levelled  it. 

"  Yes,"  she  thought,  "  he  is  driving ;  one  woman 
beside  him,  and  five  in  the  tonneau — where  are  the 
men?  " 

The  car  disappeared  behind  a  long  row  of  trees, 
flashed  out  for  a  moment,  then  passed  under  the 
ridge  and  was  hid. 

She  looked  again  toward  the  town.  A  station- 
wagon  was  just  at  its  edge,  three  men  in  it.  She 
recognized  the  big  sorrel  as  one  of  the  Fairlawn 
horses. 

"  Ah !  "  she  said,  watching  the  trio  eagerly,  her 
nervousness  betrayed  by  the  unsteady  glass.  The 
horn  called  sharply,  as  the  motor  turned  into  the 
avenue,  and  she  stepped  aside,  out  of  vision. 

Harwood  was  running  slow,  to  give  his  guests 
the  full  value  of  this  first  view  of  the  old  house, 


90  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

but  he  himself  was  looking  toward  The  Oaks.  In 
the  spirit  of  mischief,  she  let  him  see  her,  just  long 
enough  to  send  him  a  smile  and  a  nod,  and  not 
long  enough  for  him  to  respond.  She  gave  no 
glance  at  those  with  him — women  were  not  inter- 
esting her  at  this  moment,  to-night  would  be  time 
sufficient  for  them,  if  she  went  to  the  dinner — and 
she  thought,  now,  she  was  going. 

She  turned  back  to  the  road — the  station-wagon 
was  not  visible;  it  was  under  the  hill.  Presently 
came  the  tramp  of  the  sorrel  on  the  telford,  and  as 
he  went  by  she  scanned  the  three  men,  using  the 
glass  even  at  that  short  range.  Then  she  laid  it 
aside,  and  laughed.  He  was  not  there ! — of  course. 
What  a  silly,  foolish,  timid  child  she  was  to  let  such 
an  idea  possess  her.  Northumberland  was  one  of 
the  great  cities  of  the  nation,  huge  and  populous — 
and  what  chance  was  there  that  he  should  be  picked 
from  among  the  mass,  and  flung  down  in  this  quiet, 
little  town ! 

"  Chum,  your  mistress  is  losing  her  nerve !  "  she 
said ;  "  pretty  soon,  she  will  begin  to  flinch  at  a 
fence  or  a  ditch.  And  when  that  time  comes,  boy, 
she  will  take  to  knitting  and  caps.  The  caps,  at 
least,  will  be  welcome;  they  will  hide  some  of  this 
horrid  hair." 

She  went  down  to  the  library,  and  wrote  a  note 
to  Colleton  Harwood  that  she  would  not  decline  for 
this  evening.  As  she  finished  it,  the  telephone  rang 
and  she  answered  it  herself  from  her  desk. 


AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  STAIRWAY    91 

It  was  Judge  Casson.  He  had  business  in  a 
village  near  the  mountain,  and  would  she  do  him  the 
honor  of  accompanying  him — riding  or  driving,  as 
she  preferred. 

She  would  be  glad  to  ride,  she  answered, — she 
often  went  with  him  on  such  occasions — and  having 
directed  Brown  to  deliver  the  note  after  luncheon 
hour,  she  went  off  to  get  into  saddle-dress. 

And  so  she  missed  the  Master  of  Fairlawn  when, 
in  mid-afternoon,  he  strolled  over  to  acknowledge 
the  note,  in  person,  and  to  say  that  he  would  send 
the  car  for  her.  Maybe  he  anticipated  another 
little  chat  under  the  trees,  and  maybe  he  was  just 
a  trifle  disappointed  at  missing  it.  As  it  was,  he 
went  in  and  left  a  line  for  her ;  then  he  returned  to 
the  Hall,  to  be  dragged  to  a  Bridge  table,  where 
the  cards  persisted  in  such  a  riot  for  him,  that  when 
the  game  ended,  in  bare  time  to  dress  for  dinner, 
he  had  won  every  rubber,  and,  stranger  still,  Landor 
had  lost  them  all,  and  owed  him  a  balance  rather 
amazingly  large,  while  Mrs.  Leicester  and  Hilda 
Gordon  quit  practically  even. 

It  was  the  sort  of  luck  that  would  strain  the 
sweetest  temper,  and  Harwood  had  observed  Landor 
with  curious  attention.  But  never  once  did  the 
smile  of  calm  and  polite  indifference  forsake  him; 
and  he  met  the  fusillade  of  no-trumps,  and  aces  by 
the  hundred,  with  a  good-nature  marvellous  in  its 
steadiness.  At  the  end,  with  a  laughing  remark 
about  the  propriety  of  losing  to  the  host,  if  one 


92  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

had  to  lose,  he  drew  out  a  check  and  was  about  to 
fill  it  in,  when  Harwood  stopped  him. 

"  Make  a  memorandum  of  the  amount,"  he  said ; 
"  you  will  doubtless  have  it  all  back,  with  plenty 
more,  when  the  party  breaks — we  will  settle  then. 
...  I  wonder," — to  Mrs.  Leicester,  as  he  accom- 
panied her  to  the  stairway, — "  if  they  are  his  natural 
manners  or  only  his  parade  ones.  I  have  never 
played  with  him  before,  and  now  I  can  appreciate 
Tony's  famous  bon  mot,  that  Landor  is  so  perfect  he 
must  be  artificial." 

*'  Then  he  is  marvellously  constructed ! "  she 
laughed ;  "  one  doesn't  hear  the  machinery  work — 
and  it  seems  never  to  be  out  of  order." 

"  Well,  so  long  as  he  keep  it  in  order  while  here, 
it  is  none  of  my  affair;  though  Tony  swears  that  a 
yellow  streak  is  sure  to  come  through  some  day." 

"  What's  that  you  said  about  me?  "  Wilberforce 
demanded,  rounding  the  doorway  in  front  of  them. 

"  Nothing  that  is  fit  to  repeat ! "  Harwood  re- 
torted. "  Go  and  dress !  " 

"  Instantly,  my  lord,  instantly ! — but  first,  pray 
tell  me  who  is  the  Diana  you  have  for  neighbor — 
she  of  the  copper  hair  and  wondrous  face  and 
figure." 

"  A  Mrs.  Gascoyne." 

"  Married !  Damn  ! — And  is  that  wizened-faced 
old  guy  her  husband?  " 

"  The  lady  is  a  widow !  " 

"  No!  no!  you  don't  mean  it!     Well,  just  watch 


AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  STAIRWAY    93 

your  Uncle  Tony,  now !  When  will  you  present  me, 
my  friend,  in  the  morning?  " 

Harwood  shook  his  head. 

"  Oh,  come  now,  you  stingy  beggar !  don't  keep 
her  to  yourself — take  me  over  after  breakfast." 

"  It  won't  be  necessary ;  you  can  go  alone,  if  she 
will  receive  you.  Mrs.  Gascoyne  is  dining  with  us 
this  evening." 

Wilberforce's  look  of  surprise  changed  to  a 
knowing  smile. 

"  Did  you  hear  that,  Evelyn?  "  he  asked.  "  Our 
friend  was  here  a  week,  alone — and,  now,  neighbor 
Diana  '  is  dining  with  us  this  evening  '." 

Mrs.  Leicester  laughed  down  on  them  from  near 
the  landing. 

"  I'm  sorry  for  you,  Tony ! "  she  said,  "  awfully 
sorr}7 ;  but  believe  me,  it's  really  no  use.  You 
haven't  a  shadow  of  a  chance  in  that  direction,  not 
a  shadow."  She  looked  at  Harwood  quizzically. 
"  And  I  know— don't  I,  Colleton?  " 

"  I'm  sorry  for  you,  myself,  old  man !  "  Harwood 
sympathized,  turning  away  for  a  look  at  the  table 
and  a  last  word  with  William ;  "  but  cheer  up,  and 
get  fascinating ;  I'm  going  to  put  you  beside  her." 

Half  an  hour  later,  on  his  way  down  stairs,  he 
met  Evelyn  Leicester  in  the  upper  hall,  and  halted 
m  amazed  admiration. 

"You  like  me?"  she  asked,  with  a  bit  of  a 
curtsy. 

She    was    in   yellow — soft,    shimmering,    canary 


94  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

silk,  that  clung  to  her  slender  figure  in  suggestive 
yet  tantalizingly  unrevealing  lines. 

Even  Harwood  knew  that  yellow  is  the  most  try- 
ing color  a  woman  can  wear,  and  that  few,  very  few, 
dared  to  venture  it. 

"  You're  a  wonder,  Evelyn !  "  he  said,  taking  her 
hand  in  the  old  familiar  way  of  former  years — 
before  Jack  Leicester — and  holding  it,  as  they  de- 
scended. "  I  tremble  for  poor,  old  Casson ;  you 
will  bowl  him  over  like  a  pin — you're  between  him 
and  Fordyce." 

"  Who  is  Fordyce?  "  she  asked. 

"  The  Judge's  nephew — and  a  very  decent  sort,  I 
think.  By  the  bye,  Casson  says  he  is  woman-proof ; 
why  don't  you  discipline  him?  " 

She  smiled  rather  whimsically. 

"  Don't  you  think  there  is  someone  rather  nearer, 
who  needs  to  be  disciplined  ?  "  she  replied. 

He  regarded  her  in  amused  gravity. 

"  If  it  were  not  impossible,  don't  you  think  you 
would  have  disciplined  me  long  ago?  "  he  asked. 

"  You  mean  I  have  tried  ?  "  she  demanded. 

He  waved  his  hand  toward  her  reflection,  in  the 
tall  mirror  that  filled  the  wall  near  the  drawing- 
room  door. 

"  Of  course  not ! — if  it  were  possible,  do  you 
fancy  she  would  need  to  try  ?  "  he  answered. 

She  stopped  and  looked  up  at  him  thoughtfully. 

"  Do  you  know,  Colleton,  sometimes  I've  been 
almost  tempted  to  try !  " 


AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  STAIRWAY    95 

"  Simply  to  show  your  power?  " 

"  I  don't  know — that,  in  part,  maybe — but  more, 
a  selfish  desire  to  keep  you  for  myself.  I  don't  want 
to  give  you  to  another  woman." 

"  And  yet,  the  other  day,  you  were  urging  me 
to  marry !  "  he  smiled. 

"  Yes — when  I  hadn't  any  notion  there  was 
danger." 

"  And  now  you  think  there  is  danger  ?  " 

She  shrugged  the  pretty  shoulders,  that  shone 
quite  free  above  the  yellow  gown. 

"  I  don't  think — yet ;  I'm  only  apprehensive. 
I'll  wait  until  I  see  the  Lady  of  the  Laugh." 

"  I  am  going  for  her,  now,  and  I'm  a  bit  late. 
There  come  Judge  Casson  and  Fordyce !  Hold  up, 
please,  Evelyn,  and  take  charge  of  them." 

He  went  over  to  the  doorway,  and  brought  the 
two  directly  across  to  her. 

"  I  really  feel  as  though  we  were  old  friends, 
Judge  Casson,"  she  said,  giving  him  her  hand,  and 
smiling  a  greeting  to  Fordyce  over  his  uncle's  bent 
head. 

"  You  do  me  vast  honor,  my  lady — to  me,  old 
friends  are  now  the  only  reason  for  life,"  the  Judge 
answered,  bowing  again,  and  sweeping  her  with 
his  appreciative  eye.  "  And  as  for  you,  sir ! " 
turning  upon  Harwood,  "  if  you  had  not  gone  back 
to  Northumberland  for  that  tennis  game,  you  should 
have  deserved  outer  darkness  henceforth  and  for- 
ever." 


96  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Thank  you,  Judge  Casson !  now  we  are  old 
friends, "  laughed  Evelyn,  "  for,  quite  in  confi- 
dence, I  think  he  was  minded  not  to  come." 

"  The  young  dog ! — you  should  punish  him 

well He  broke  off.  Down  the  stairs  were 

trailing  Nancy  Willoby  and  Rosalind  Spottswood, 
and  back  of  them  Jane  Heyward. 

"By  my  faith,  Harwood!"  he  ejaculated,  "if 
these  are  samples,  I'm  going  to  Northumberland 
myself." 

Then  Mrs.  Leicester  bore  him  and  Fordyce  away 
to  be  presented,  and  Harwood  hurried  to  his  car. 

The  front  door  of  The  Oaks  was  open,  and  Mrs. 
Gascoyne  was  standing  in  the  hall,  smoothing  on 
her  gloves,  as  the  motor  drew  up. 

"  I'm  coming !  "  she  called,  and  flinging  on  her 
long  cloak,  she  caught  up  her  gown  and  was  out 
before  Harwood  could  cross  the  piazza.  "  This  is 
very  good  of  you !  "  giving  him  her  hand — "  you 
shouldn't  have  left  your  guests." 

"Theoretically  and  old  style,  I  shouldn't,"  he 
replied,  nodding  to  the  driver,  as  Brown  snapped 
the  tonneau  door;  "actually  and  modern  fashion, 
no  house-party  cares  what  becomes  of  the  host,  so 
long  as  he  provides  them  with  food  and  drink  and 
amusement.  And  really,  I  rather  prefer  it  so;  it's 
easier  all  around.  And  then,  you  see,  in  this  in- 
stance, it  gives  me  the  privilege  to  go  over  to  you 
whenever  I  wish,  without  dragging  any  of  them 
along." 


AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  STAIRWAY    97 

"  That  will  be  very  nice,"  she  answered.  "  I 
shan't  object,  I'm  sure — if  no  one  else  does." 

The  car  slowed  down  and  stopped. 

"  And  when  am  I  to  see  the  vision  you  promised — 
of  another  and  myself?  "  she  asked,  as  they  went 
up  the  stairway — "  or  isn't  '  the  other  '  here?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  he,  "  she  is  here — the  vision  was 
the  picture  of  you  both  under  the  candles,  in  the 
drawing-room." 

"  Oh !  "  she  laughed,  relieved  of  the  last  anxiety ; 
"  what  a  disappointment !  I  was  anticipating  some- 
thing really  worth  while." 

She  loosed  her  cloak,  and  Harwood  handed  it 
to  William.  The  hall  was  deserted,  the  guests  were 
in  the  drawing-room. 

"  There  are  those  yonder,"  he  said,  "  who  won't 
be  disappointed,  even  though  they  are  not  looking 
for  visions." 

His  eyes  were  so  frankly  approving  that,  woman- 
like, she  spurred  him  on. 

"  You  like  green?  "  she  asked,  naively. 

"  I  like  that  green — and  the  red  above  it,  too !  " 
he  laughed. 

"  You're  horrid ! "  she  exclaimed,  "  perfectly 
horrid ! " 

The  drawing-room  occupied  the  entire  north 
side  of  the  house,  and  was,  in  every  material 
particular,  an  exact  reproduction  of  the  one 
at  Fairlawn  Hall.  The  walls  and  ceiling  were 
panelled  in  walnut, — painted  an  ivory  white,  how- 
7 


98  THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

ever,  to  correspond  with  tfre  original  —  the  side 
panels  broken  at  intervals  by  fluted  columns  with 
carved  capitals,  and  hung  alternately  with  paint- 
ings and  rich,  soft-toned  red  damask,  which  showed 
no  streak  of  age.  The  high  mahogany  doors — • 
the  handles  of  solid  silver,  stamped  with  the  Har~ 
wood  device — swung  between  twin  columns,  support- 
ing the  ornate  entablature  with  the  broken  raking- 
arch.  A  deep  double  cornice  bound  the  walls  to 
the  ceiling,  and  shot  its  carvings,  in  profuse  decora- 
tion, to  the  centre,  where  hung  the  great  chandelier, 
with  its  sweeping  branches  of  brass  and  pendent 
crystals,  and  its  sixty  candles  within  their  tall 
glass  shades.  No  desecrating  hand  of  plumber  nor 
electrician  had  ever  touched  it;  and  to-night  every 
candle  burned  unflickeringly,  filling  the  room  with 
the  soft  and  mellow  light. 

And  standing  directly  beneath  it,  in  gay  converse 
with  Fordyce,  Evelyn  Leicester  heard  Harwood's 
voice,  and  turned,  knowing  whom  he  brought. 

"  Mrs.  Leicester — Mrs.  Gascoyne !  "  was  the  in- 
troduction. 

And  so  Harwood  had  his  vision. 

And  not  he  alone,  either.  Burgoyne  caught 
Wilberforce  by  the  arm  and  swung  him  around. 

"  Lord !  man  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  who  is  that?  " 

"  Confound  you ! "  said  Wilberforce,  recovering 
his  eye-glasses  on  the  fly,  and  shoving  them  back 
into  place.  "  Who  is  what? — Oh !  I  say !  "  and  was 
gone. 


"  MRS.  LEICESTER— MRS.  GASCOYNE  !  ' 


AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  STAIRWAY    99 

"  Now  isn't  that  like  Tony !  "  Rosalind  Spotts- 
\vood  laughed,  "  always  after  the  next  pretty  face. 
Better  toddle  along,  Leigh;  Nancy  and  I  will  ex- 
cuse you — we've  got  to  have  you  at  dinner,  any- 
way." 

"  Why  not  go  with  him?  "  said  Miss  Willoby. 
'*  It's  the  custom,  in  the  country,  to  meet  every 
one — and  besides,  I  want  a  closer  look  at  that  hair." 

"  It  is  astonishing,"  Burgoyne  remarked,  "  how 
a  woman  never  credits  another  woman's  hair,  or 
complexion,  or  figure.  Isn't  there  anything  about 
you  that  is  natural  ?  " 

"  Marry  one  of  them  and  find  out !  "  said  Jane 
Heyward,  coming  up  behind,  with  Talbot  Van- 
brugh.  "  Show  your  nerve,  like  Carter  Heyward 
did." 

"  One  awful  example  suffices,  thank  you ! " 
Burgoyne  retorted,  as  they  joined  the  circle  under 
the  chandelier. 

Almost  immediately,  the  butler  appeared  at  the 
doorway. 

Harwood  gave  his  arm  to  Mrs.  Gascoyne.  The 
others  trailed  indiscriminately  along  behind,  except 
that  Judge  Casson,  with  all  the  dignity  of  the  old 
regime,  brought  up  the  rear  with  Mrs.  St.  George. 

As  Harwood  crossed  the  hall,  Henry  Landor  came 
springing  down  the  stairs. 

"  A  thousand  excuses,  old  man ! "  he  exclaimed, 
"  I  must  have  dropped  asleep ;  I  hope  I've  "  — his 
eyes  fell  upon  Mildred  Gascoyne,  and  a  look  of 


100         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

amazed  incredulity  flashed  through  them;  then  he 
swept  it  away — "  not  delayed  you,"  he  ended. 

Harwood  heard  the  sharp  intake  of  his  com- 
panion's breath  and,  for  an  instant,  her  hand 
pressed  his  arm.  But  when  he  glanced  down,  save 
that  her  face  was  very  pale,  she  seemed  quite  un- 
concerned, and  she  acknowledged  the  quick  presenta- 
tion, with  a  formally  impersonal  smile — though, 
there,  at  the  name  of  Gascoyne,  he  saw  again  the 
shadow  of  puzzled  incredulity  flit  through  Landor's 
eyes. 

"  I  didn't  see  Mr.  Landor  with  you  this  morn- 
ing," she  remarked,  as  they  went  on  toward  the 
dining-room. 

"  No,  we  dropped  him  at  the  Capital  as  we  went 
through.  He  came  in  this  afternoon.  Good-look- 
ing chap,  isn't  he?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  agreed — "  he  startled  me." 

"  Are  handsome  men  then  so  very  rare  ?  " 

She  smiled  and  shook  her  head. 

"  I  took  him  for  someone  I  knew  long  ago — 
and  despised,"  she  explained. 

"  Which  may  account  for  your  manner,"  thought 
Harwood,  "  but  not  for  Landor's." 

However,  it  was  not  for  him  to  pry  into;  not 
even  though  Landor  were  the  very  one  she  had  in 
mind  that  afternoon,  in  the  garden  of  The  Oaks, 
when  he  first  mentioned  this  dinner — at  least  not 
so  long  as  Landor  did  not  make  himself  openly 
objectionable  to  her. 


AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  STAIRWAY  101 

"  What  would  you  think  if  I  were  to  ask  you  a 
rather  personal  question  ? "  she  said,  as,  having 
seated  her,  he  took  his  own  chair  the  faintest  inter- 
val after  the  other  men. 

"  That  it  isn't  personal,  because  you  ask  it." 

"  Which  might  be  interpreted  as  a  polite  notice 
not  to  ask  it,"  she  rejoined — "  but  I'm  going  to 
anyway: — why  did  you  deliberately  put  me  beside 
Mrs.  Leicester,  in  the  middle  of  the  drawing-room, 
to  be  stared  at  by  every  one  and  torn  to  tatters  by 
the  women  ?  " 

"  In  plain  words,  why  did  I  embarrass  you — why 
was  I  rude?  " 

"  No,  not  that.  It  wasn't  rude ;  and  it  didn't 
embarrass  me — a  woman  early  learns  indifference  to 
stares  and  criticism.  You  spoke  of  visions — what 
was  the  motive?  " 

"  Simply  sentimental — you  and  Mrs.  Leicester 
are  the  very  exponents  of  your  types — to  speak 
quite  frankly,  you  are  the  two  most  beautiful  women 
I  ever  saw,  or  ever  expect  to  see.  Hence,  in  the 
marvellous  fortune  of  having  you  in  the  same  house, 
do  you  blame  me  for  wanting  to  put  you  side  by 
side,  under  conditions  which  could  never  exist  but 
once — a  first  meeting — suddenly,  unexpectedly,  and 
under  the  soft  candle-light,  of  that  wonderful 
chandelier.  Surely,  milady,  you  must  admit  the 
aesthetic  justification ! " 

An  incredulous  smile  had  come,  and  she  made 
no  effort  to  hide  it. 


102         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  And  to  whom,  O  Paris,  Son  of  Priam !  does  the 
apple  go?  "  she  scoffed. 

"  I'm  waiting  for  the  bribe." 

She  made  the  faintest  motion  indicating  the  other 
women. 

"  Choose !  "  she  said ;  "  Argive  Helen,  herself, 
could  not  surpass  them." 

He  bent  a  bit  nearer,  and  held  her  eyes  with  his 
own. 

"  Perhaps !  "  he  said.  "  Yet  I  should  prefer 
Helen." 

"  Because  she  was  married?  " 

"  No ;  because  her  hair  was  red." 

She  made  a  gesture  of  annoyance. 

"  Why  will  you  persist  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Because  I'm  bewitched  by  it." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  I  had  the  idea 
that  you  preferred  another  color." 

"  What  color?  " 

She  let  her  glance  turn  slowly  toward  Evelyn 
Leicester,  but  made  no  answer. 

"  For  which,  I  suppose,  our  friend,  the  Judge,  is 
responsible !  "  he  laughed. 

She  smiled  noncommittingly. 

"  And  it's  so  much  prettier  than — red,"  she  said. 

"  Of  course  it  is,  Mrs.  Gascoyne !  "  Wilberforce 
cut  in,  "  of  course  it  is !  I've  not  an  idea  what  it 
is,  but  it  is  because  you  say  it  is.  That  sentence 
is  rather  long  on  '  it  is,'  isn't  it?  " 

Mrs.  Gascoyne  looked  at  him  with  lifted  brows. 


AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  STAIRWAY  103 

"  Mr.  Wilberforce  is  quite  harmless,"  Harwood 
explained ;  "  he  simply  labors  under  the  hallucina- 
tion that  he  is  a  wit." 

"  Just  as  Mr.  Harwood  labors  under  the  halluci- 
nation that  he  is  well-bred  and  has  good  manners. 
Every  one  has  his  freak  side,  you  know.  What's 
yours,  Mrs.  Gascoyne?" 

"  Aversion  to  familiarity  on  the  part  of  stran- 
gers." 

"  Bravo ! "  cried  Harwood ;  "  come  again,  Tony, 
come  again ! " 

"  Quite  unnecessary,  my  friend !  the  lady  and  I 
understand  each  other  perfectly,  now — she  is  going 
to — what  is  it  you  are  going  to  do  with  me  to- 
morrow morning,  Mrs.  Gascoyne?  " 

"  What  is  it  you  would  like  to  do  ?  "  said  Mildred, 
laughing,  quite  won  by  his  good-natured  face  and 
bland  impudence. 

"  Lose  yourself,  my  sweet  host ! "  said  Wilber- 
force ;  "  I'm  talking  to  Mrs.  Gascoyne  now ;  you're 
out  of  this  wagon — there's  an  empty  one  on  your 
near  side — climb  in,  climb  in !  " 

By  which  inelegancy,  Wilberforce  meant  that 
Rosalind  Spottswood,  who  was  upon  Harwood's  left, 
was  momentarily  alone;  and  Colleton,  understand- 
ing, laughed  and  "  climbed  in." 

Presently,  Burgoyne,  Rosalind's  partner,  resumed 
duty,  and  Harwood  gradually  dropped  out  of  the 
chatter,  and  watched  the  lower  end  of  the  table 
with  absent-minded  eyes.  Old  Judge  Casson  was 


104         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

relating  a  story  to  Mrs.  St.  George,  who  seemed 
to  be  highly  amused  and  entertained.  Evelyn 
Leicester  was  flirting  shamefully  with  Fordyce,  and, 
catching  her  eye,  he  shook  his  head  in  mock  re- 
proof; to  be  answered  by  a  lift  of  chin,  and  an 
impudent  flash  of  black  eyes  through  half -closed 
lids.  He  wondered  vaguely  if  she  were  binding  the 
blond  Egertonian  to  her  chariot  wheels  for  her 
own  delectation,  or  as  a  move  in  the  "  try  "  at  him- 
self which  she  had  threatened.  If  the  latter,  it 
would  be  powder  wasted;  he  really  could  not  work 
up  even  a  suggestion  of  jealousy — on  the  contrary, 
it  aroused  nothing  more  than  a  keen  curiosity 
as  to  the  result  to  herself,  if  she  warmed  to  life  that 
phlegmatic  young  man's  frozen  affections. 

Then  his  glance  came  slowly  around  to  Mil- 
dred Gascoyne;  and  he  broke  in  on  Wilberforce, 
and  took  her  away,  with  a  suddenness  almost  curt, 
and  a  masterfulness  almost  proprietary.  And  for 
the  rest  of  the  dinner  he  kept  her  to  himself. 


VII 

PLAYING    THE    PART 

EVELYN  LEICESTER  had  not  been  so  occupied 
with  Fordyce's  subjection  as  to  overlook  Harwood's 
attitude  toward  Mrs.  Gascoyne ;  and  it  confirmed 
her  apprehension.  There  was  danger ;  and  if  she 
were  not  to  lose  him,  he  must  be  cut  away  from  the 
Lady  of  the  Laugh.  It  was  a  fetching  laugh,  she 
must  admit ;  even  then  it  came  rippling  softly  down 
the  table,  and  she  fancied  that  all  the  men  had 
bent  their  heads  to  catch  it  as  it  passed.  She  knew 
very  well  that,  with  men,  a  melodious  laugh  is 
second  only  to  a  pretty  face — and  usually,  after 
the  first  meeting,  much  the  more  gripping  of  the 
two.  It  was  the  laugh  on  the  Grand  Canal  that 
had  lingered  in  Harwood's  memory — and  now  it 
had  come  back  to  him  with  this  red-haired  and  mys- 
terious beauty  of  The  Oaks  !  On  the  whole,  she  had 
a  rather  difficult  campaign  before  her,  if  the  other 
were  disposed  to  contest. 

When  Mrs.  St.  George  gave  the  signal,  Evelyn 
Leicester  paused  long  enough  for  the  word  and 
smile  that  would  insure  Fordyce  for  her  later,  then 
she  turned  slowly  toward  the  door,  timing  care- 
fully to  be  there  with  Mrs.  Gascoyne. 

"  Where  shall  we  go?  "  she  asked,  with  an  inti- 
105 


106         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

mate  little  smile,  "  there  will  be  at  least  half  an  hour 
to  kiU." 

"  Then  let  us  go  to  the  billiard-room,"  said 
Mildred. 

She  wanted  to  get  as  far  away  as  possible  from 
the  man  who  had  watched  her  with  keen  eyes,  as 
she  passed  close  by  him,  and  was  still  watching,  she 
knew — the  man  for  whom  intuitive  apprehension 
had  warned  her  to  look,  when  Harwood's  party  ar- 
rived ;  but,  who,  by  some  ill  chance  for  her,  had  not 
come  with  it.  She  had  felt  his  glance  repeatedly 
during  dinner,  always  quick  and  fleeting,  shifting 
instantly  she  met  it,  and  it  had  been  sufficiently  dis- 
concerting then ;  but  to  walk  directly  toward  him 
and  by,  along  the  standing,  black-clad  line  was  dis- 
tinct nerve-agony.  Yet  there  was  the  faint  relief, 
that  the  very  persistence  of  his  looking  and  its  man- 
ner indicated  that  he  was  not  sure  of  his  recognition 
— was  not  convinced  that  she  was  she.  He  was  puz- 
zled and  doubtful;  and  she  knew  exactly  why — had 
known  from  the  instant  they  met  in  the  hall.  It 
was  that  which  gave  her  the  cue  how  to  act. 
Whether  she  could  play  it  successfully,  hereafter, 
was  another  matter ;  enough,  now,  that  it  was  serv- 
ing her  this  night. 

At  first,  she  had  thought  only  of  flight — from 
Fairlawn,  the  instant  the  dinner  was  over;  from  the 
town,  by  the  early  morning  train.  Then,  as  she 
saw  that  his  indecision  still  continued,  the  panic  sub- 
sided, and  she  had  played  her  part  easily,  and  even 


PLAYING  THE  PART  107 

with  finesse — but  could  she  play  it  when  the  real 
test  came;  when  the  man  stood  before  her  and  ac- 
cused, if  not  by  actual  words,  at  least  by  tone  and 
manner?  And,  after  all,  was  it  worth  while  to 
take  the  chance,  to  make  the  effort!  Expediency 
bade  her  fly,  hate  and  pride  cried  for  her  to  stay ; — 
and  even  now,  as  she  winced  and  suffered  under 
Lander's  steady  stare,  hate  and  pride  were  deciding 
for  her,  though,  as  yet,  she  did  not  know. 

The  billiard-room  was  on  the  ground-floor,  under 
the  drawing-room,  and  as  Mrs.  Leicester  and  Mrs. 
Gascoyne  crossed  the  hall,  to  the  stairway  in  the 
corner  opposite,  Hilda  Gordon  joined  them. 

"  I  know  where  you're  going,  and  why ! "  she 
laughed ;  "  and  I'm  with  you.  When  you  were 
about  it,  Evelyn,  why  didn't  you  provide  a  chaperon 
who  is  cigarette-proof?  " 

"  Or  why  did  I  provide  a  chaperon  at  all?  "  Mrs. 
Leicester  supplemented. 

"  To  be  sure !  why  didn't  you  consider  yourself 
the  chaperon  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  I  should,"  said  Evelyn,  "  if  you 
had  not  insisted  upon  Henry  Landor." 

"  Poor  Henry ! "  Miss  Gordon  exclaimed,  draw- 
ing herself  up  on  the  rail  of  the  table,  and  crossing 
her  pretty  legs  regardless  of  elevation.  "  Is  he 
then  so  very  dangerous ! "  She  drew  out  a  thin, 
gold  case,  and  proffered  it  to  Mrs.  Gascoyne.  "  Try 
one  of  mine ;  they  are  much  better  than  Mrs.  Leices- 
ter's." 


108         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Mildred  shook  her  head. 

"  If  you  don't  mind,  I'll  not  smoke,"  she  said. 

"  Meaning  that  you  don't  approve?  " 

"  Meaning  just  what  I  said,"  Mildred  smiled. 
"  I  never  trouble  myself  enough  about  others'  do- 
ings, either  to  approve  or  disapprove." 

"  It's  a  pity  the  world  isn't  blessed  with  a  lot 
more  like  you !  "  Miss  Gordon  commented.  "  What 
have  you  got  against  Henry,  Evelyn !  " 

"  Judging  from  your  present  temper,  having  just 
left  him,"  Evelyn  replied,  "  it  might  be  more  to  the 
point  for  you  yourself  to  begin  the  enumeration." 

Hilda  Gordon  laughed  good  naturedly. 

"  You  score !  "  she  said — "  though  you're  mis- 
taken. If  I  have  any  quarrel,  it  is  with  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne — she  practically  monopolized  Mr.  Landor 
during  dinner." 

Mildred  was  sitting  on  the  arm  of  a  chair,  beside 
a  table,  idly  turning  the  pages  of  a  magazine. 

"  I  was  not  aware  of  it,"  she  said  slowly,  and 
without  looking  up. 

"  You  didn't  seem  to  be,  I  admit — our  host  was 
quite  too  entertaining  for  you  to  notice  another 
man's  stares,  even  though  they  continued  through 
the  entire  meal.  Tell  me,  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  did  you 
ever  meet  Henry  Landor  before  to-night?  " 

"  Couldn't  Mr.  Landor  remember? "  asked 
Mildred,  dryly. 

Miss  Gordon  held  up  a  very  pretty  hand,  and 
flashed  the  rings  a  moment. 


PLAYING  THE  PART  109 

"  No ! "  she  laughed ;  "  he  said  he  didn't  know ; 
that  is  why  I  asked  you." 

Mildred  drove  a  smile  to  her  face,  and  strove  to 
keep  the  annoyance  from  her  voice. 

"  And  why  should  my  memory  for  him  be  better 
than  his  for  me?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  give  it  up — riddles  are  not  in  my  line.  I  only 
thought  it  might  be,  because  you  ignored  him  with 
such  persistent  deliberation." 

"  How  foolishly  inconsistent  you  are,  Hilda !  " 
Mrs.  Leicester  broke  in.  "  You  assume  that  Mr. 
Landor  knows  Mrs.  Gascoyne  because  he  looked  at 
her,  and  that  Mrs.  Gascoyne  knows  Mr.  Landor 
because  she  didn't  look  at  him.  Besides,  it's  none 
of  our  affair  anyway;  I  don't  imagine  you  have 
any  serious  intentions  in  that  direction." 

Miss  Gordon  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  Intentions  ? — who  knows  !  Surely,  he  is  hand- 
some enough!  Don't  you  think  so,  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne? " 

"  If  she  didn't  look  at  him,  how  can  she  know  ?  " 
Evelyn  persisted.  "  As  far  as  I  can  see,  neither 
Mrs.  Gascoyne  nor  I  is  interested  in  Mr.  Landor, 
so,  for  heaven's  sake,  let  us  discover  another  topic !  " 

"  Bearing  in  mind,  however,  my  dear  Evelyn, 
that  it  is  you  who  made  him  the  topic." 

"  Very  good — then  I'm  the  one  to  exclude  him ! 
.  .  .  Don't  mind  us,  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  we  are  sort  of 
a  family,  and  speak  rather  frankly  to  one  another." 

"  And  I  thoughtlessly  made  the  mistake  of  treat- 


110         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

ing  Mrs.  Gascoyne  as  one  of  the  family,"  said  Miss 
Gordon.  "  I  cry  her  pardon !  "  She  tossed  away 
her  cigarette,  and  dropped  languidly  from  the 
table  to  the  floor.  "  I  suppose  it  is  bridge,  to- 
night, as  usual !  "  and  with  a  quick  smile  and  a 
careless  nod  she  left  them. 

For  a  little  while,  there  was  silence.  Evelyn 
Leicester  watched  the  smoke  spiral  upward  from 
the  end  of  her  cigarette.  Mildred  Gascoyne  looked 
thoughtfully  at  nothing,  and  wondered  whether 
Miss  Gordon  was  simply  ingenuous,  or  had  been 
inspired  by  Landor  to  quiz  her  about  him.  Likely, 
he  had  been  content  only  to  arouse  her  curiosity, 
confident  that  the  feminine  in  her  would  do  the  rest, 
and  that  he  should  quickly  hear  the  result.  At  any 
event,  it  was  very  evident  it  would  be  well  to  avoid 
Miss  Gordon. 

Presently  Mrs.  Leicester  took  out  a  fresh 
cigarette. 

"  Better  reconsider,"  she  said,  proffering  the  case. 

Mildred  laughed,  and  accepted. 

"  I  don't  mind  now,"  she  replied. 

Evelyn  smiled  comprehendingly,  and  sipped  the 
cherry  cordial,  that  William  had  just  brought. 
Then  she  held  the  glass  toward  the  light. 

"  Beautiful !  "  she  said ;  "  beautiful,  and  ravish- 
ingly  delicious ! " 

"  It  is  a  specialty  of  Fairlawn — that,  and  the 
Burgundy — it  has  been  so  for  generations,  I  am 
told." 


PLAYING  THE  PART  111 

"  It  must  be  profoundly  satisfying  to  be  the  mas- 
ter of  a  house  with  generations." 

"  And  to  be  its  mistress,  too ! "  Mildred  added. 
<;  Such  a  house !  and  such  a  garden  1 " 

She  was  thinking  of  Mrs.  Leicester  as  this  mis- 
tress. She  liked  Harwood,  and  so  she  was  prepared 
to  like  her,  who,  as  Judge  Casson  had  led  her  to 
believe,  was  to  be  Harwood's  wife. 

But  Evelyn,  having  no  suspicion  of  this  notion 
on  the  part  of  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  saw  only  a  con- 
firmation of  the  apprehension  that  she  aimed  to  be 
its  mistress. 

"  You  know  them  well,  I  suppose  ?  "  She  rather 
asserted  than  questioned — she  wished  to  make  quite 
sure. 

Mildred  shook  her  head.  "  No,  not  well — not 
so  well  as  I  should  like;  you  see,  I've  lived  beside 
them  just  long  enough  to  feel  their  real  fascination. 
Why,  even  my  little  dog  loves  this  wonderful  gar- 
den— Betty  Colleton's  garden,  as  it  is  called,  for 
the  beautiful  first  mistress  who  planned  it;  she 
whose  portrait  hangs  in  the  drawing-room." 

Not  so  well  as  she  should  like!  Evidently  not! 
and  yet,  now,  Evelyn's  assurance  was  not  quite  so 
sure.  Why  this  artless  candor  with  a  stranger? — 
who  must  be  viewed  either  as  a  rival  or  as  Harwood's 
close  friend — in  whichever  aspect,  a  most  undesir- 
able confidante.  Mrs.  Gascoyne  was  no  silly,  senti- 
mental girl  to  make  such  mawkish  blunders.  And 
yet  there  was  the  evidence  of  her  own  eyes  at  dinner ; 


112         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

and  Harwood's  unmistakable  interest  in  his  neigh- 
bor, when  he  returned  to  Northumberland. 
Methods  and  motives  aside,  the  cardinal  facts  re- 
mained, that  Harwood  was  attracted  by  the  woman, 
and  that  the  woman  seemed  very  willing  to  become 
mistress  of  Fairlawn  Hall.  The  natural  resultant 
of  such  a  combination  was  fairly  obvious — particu- 
larly, when  the  woman  happened  to  be  a  red-haired 
beauty. 

"  I  did  not  go  into  the  garden,  to-day,"  said 
Evelyn.  "  I  saw  it  only  from  the  rear  piazza — 
wouldn't  you  like  to  come  over  in  the  morning  and 
show  it  to  me — the  little  nooks  and  the  vistas,  that 
only  an  intimate  knows  ?  " 

Come  here,  in  the  morning,  informally;  where 
Henry  Landor  was  sure  to  be! — and  give  him  the 
chance  she  knew  he  was  waiting  for!  Mildred  had 
no  such  idea. 

"  I  am  sorry  !  "  she  said,  "  I  have  an  engagement ; 
the  Hunt  Club  meets." 

"  Oh,  to  be  sure !  We  were  told  of  it  at 
luncheon." 

"  And  you  all  are  coming?  " 

"  No,  not  all — a  few  don't  ride  to  hounds." 

"You  do?"  said  Mildred. 

"  Yes — though  I'm  not  fond  of  too  stiff  going ; 
how  is  it  here?  " 

"  It  depends  on  the  draw — to-morrow's  is  the 
Cedars;  it  is  easy — Buzzard  Hill  is  the  nasty  one. 
It  will  be  on  Friday ; — and  the  last  of  the  season." 


PLAYING  THE  PART  113 

"  Then  to-morrow  for  me ! — if  I  live  through  it, 
I  can  consider  as  to  the  Buzzard.  The  very  name 
suggests  death." 

"  It  gets  about  one  a  season.  Betty  Singleton, 
the  sister  of  Fairlawn's  recent  master,  was  killed 
there,  last  year." 

Evelyn  Leicester  shuddered  faintly ;  she  did  not 
have  the  nerves  of  the  hunt — the  fatalism  that  is 
essential  for  a  proper  enjoyment  of  the  sport. 

"Fence?"  she  asked. 

Mrs.  Gascoyne  nodded.  "  Under  the  horse,  and 
dead  when  they  got  her  out." 

Again  Evelyn  shuddered.  "  Horrible !  I'm  not 
so  sure  now  even  of  to-morrow." 

"  Oh,  I'm  sorry !  "  Mildred  exclaimed.  "  Some- 
how, I  thought  you  were  bred  to  it,  as  I  have  been. 
Then,  one  never  associates  danger  with  one's  self — 
it's  only  for  the  others — and  very  rarely  for  them. 
It's  pretty  much  like  automobiling." 

"  Only  more  so,"  said  Evelyn ;  "  in  hunting  there 
isn't  any  hiring  an  expert  to  handle  the  reins  while 
you  sit  calmly  in  the  saddle.  Besides,  with  us,  in 
Northumberland,  riding  to  hounds  is  only  a  fad 
of  recent  fashion — we  are  so  new  to  it  the  gloss 
isn't  off  the  men's  tops.  We  dash  madly  after  the 
elusive  anise,  and  try  to  persuade  ourselves  that  we 
are  enjoying  it,  all  the  while  wishing  we  were  back 
at  the  Club  House,  and  safe  for  another  week." 

Mildred  laughed.     "  And  you  never  have  ridden 
in  a  real  hunt  ?  " 
8 


114         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  No." 

"  Then  you  have  something  to  look  forward  to — 
something  compared  to  which  the  chase  of  an  anise 
bag  is  as  mild  as  tiddle-de-winks." 

"  I  don't  know  just  whether  that  frightens  or 
allures,"  said  Evelyn.  "  A  little  of  both,  perhaps 
— with  a  preponderance  of  fright  when  I  think  of 
a  strange  horse." 

"  Don't  think  of  it.  Tell  Mr.  Harwood  you  want 
Hector ;  then  give  the  sorrel  his  head  and  don't  fuss 
him,  he  will  do  the  rest." 

The  sudden  rush  of  voices,  from  the  hall,  indi- 
cated that  the  men  had  come  out.  Mrs.  Leicester 
finished  her  liqueur  and  arose;  Mrs.  Gascoyne  was 
already  up. 

"  I  suppose  we  must  immolate  ourselves  on  the 
bridge  table,"  said  Evelyn ;  "  for  my  part,  I  should 
much  prefer  staying  here — without  the  men." 

"  And  so  should  I ! "  Mildred  answered  quickly, 
and  with  ardor.  Her  thought  was  of  Landor — to 
be  saved  his  hateful,  searching  eyes. 

But  Mrs.  Leicester,  seeing  only  from  her  point 
of  view,  which,  of  course,  did  not  include  Landor, 
was  puzzled  more  than  ever. 

At  the  top  of  the  stairs,  they  met  Harwood  and 
the  Judge  about  to  descend. 

"  We  were  coming  for  you,"  said  Colleton. 
"  Mrs.  Leicester,  Judge  Casson — for  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne and  himself — has  challenged  us  to  a  bout  at 
bridge." 


PLAYING  THE  PART  115 

"  Oh,  horrors,  Judge  Casson ! "  Mildred  ex- 
claimed ;  "  you  know  I  don't  play  good  bridge." 

*"  1  know  you  play  well  enough,  madam,  for  me 
to  be  honored  in  being  your  partner." 

"  You  can't  refuse,  now !  "  Harwood  laughed. 

"  I  suppose  not,"  laying  her  fan  lightly  across 
the  old  man's  arm ;  "  but  I'm  of  the  notion  that  it 
is  going  to  be  a  case  of  very  expensive  blarneying — 
better  repent  while  there  is  time,  my  friend !  " 

"  I'm  not  of  the  sect  that  accepts  repentance  in 
extremis — on  the  contrary,  sir,"  addressing  Har- 
wood, "  I'm  ready  to  double  the  stakes !  " 

"  Then  I  won't  play !  "  declared  Mildred.  "  I'll 
save  you  from  your  own  impulsive  self,  at  least  to 
that  extent." 

Fordyce  had  been  searching  for  Mrs.  Leicester, 
now  he  sighted  her,  and  bore  down  for  capture. 

"  And  where  do  I  come  in  ?  "  he  asked,  laying-to 
beside  her. 

"  You  don't  come  in,  my  boy ! "  the  Judge 
laughed.  "  Your  old  uncle  is  at  this  table." 

"  Mr.  Fordyce  shall  have  my  hand,"  said  Har- 
wood, very  willing  to  be  rescued  from  bridge;  and 
very  ready  to  further  Evelyn's  campaign — the 
smile  with  which  she  had  greeted  Fordyce  proved 
that  it  still  was  on. 

"  Impossible,  sir ! "  Fordyce  responded.  "  I  shall 
be  more  than  content  to  look  on,  if  I  may." 

Harwood  insisted ;  Fordyce  was  firm ;  Judge  Cas- 
son chatted  with  the  women. 


116         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  At  least,"  said  Colleton  finally,  as  they  paused 
at  the  table,  "  you  and  I  will  cut  in  for  the  first 
rubber,  and  then  alternate." 

Again  Fordyce  refused. 

"  You  don't  understand,  Harwood ! "  the  Judge 
broke  in.  "  Fordyce  is  not  at  liberty  to  play  with 
me : — a  century  or  so  ago,  a  Casson  killed  a  Casson 
over  the  cards.  Since  that  time,  it  is  the  family 
obligation  that  two  of  us  must  never  sit  in  the 
same  game." 

"  A  wise  rule,  even  on  general  principles,"  Har- 
wood answered,  sitting  down  and  spreading  the 
cards  for  the  cut ;  "  it  might  be  well  if  it  obtained  in 
many  families — I  know  not  a  few  where  it  would  be 
very  proper." 

"  And  so  do  all  of  us,  I  fancy,"  Evelyn  added — 
"  it  is  almost  axiomatic  among  women,  at  least,  that 
relatives  at  a  card  table  spells  trouble." 

They  were  in  a  corner  of  the  library;  Fordyce 
drew  a  chair  close  beside  Mrs.  Leicester,  and  re- 
ceived her  smiling  permission  to  over-look  her  hand. 
Mrs.  Gascoyne  was  facing  the  room,  with  Harwood 
on  her  right. 

On  a  big  table  in  the  hall,  a  crowd  was  playing 
faro;  Mrs.  St.  George  having,  it  seems,  expressed  a 
wish  at  dinner  to  learn  something  about  the  game. 
As  chaperon  she  had  stipulated  a  dime  limit ;  which, 
she  said,  even  a  clergyman  could  not  disapprove. 
Burgoyne  was  dealing,  using  a  pasteboard  box 
shaped  up  for  the  occasion,  and  the  women  were 


PLAYING  THE  PART  117 

playing  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  the  novice,  and 
all  the  natural  gambler-spirit  of  their  sex. 

As  she  crossed  the  hall,  Mildred  had  searched 
this  crowd  for  Landor,  but  he  was  not  there;  was, 
indeed,  the  only  one  missing.  Now,  from  where 
she  sat,  she  still  could  see  that  he  had  not  joined 
them. 

She  and  the  Judge  had  won  the  first  rubber,  and 
the  deal  was  hers.  She  declared  a  without,  on  a 
hundred  aces  and  not  a  picture;  the  dummy  laid 
down  a  negative  hand,  and  it  required  all  her  atten- 
tion to  save  the  odd. 

"Bravo!"  the  Judge  exclaimed;  "that  was  a 
beautiful  example  of  the  value  of  thirteeriers,  and 
how  to  make  them.  My  compliments,  partner! — 
don't  forget  to  score  the  century  of  honors, 
Harwood !  " 

"  They  are  scored !  " 

"  Score  them  again !  " 

It  was  a  pleasantry  he  had  used  so  many  years 
that  it  had  become  mechanical.  He  didn't  know 
he  said  it.  To  Evelyn  and  Harwood,  however,  it 
was  new,  and  drew  its  laugh.  And  for  the  moment 
the  Judge  did  not  understand. 

But  Mrs.  Gascoyne  had  heard  neither  his  compli- 
ment nor  his  automatic  humor.  When  she  looked 
up,  at  the  end  of  the  hand,  it  was  to  see  Henry 
Landor  standing  in  the  doorway,  his  eyes  upon  her ; 
nor  did  he  drop  them,  but,  for  a  space,  stared  at 
her  with  steady  deliberation.  And  she,  assuming 


118         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

an  air  of  languid  curiosity,  looked  calmly  back  at 
him — until,  with  a  placid  smile  of  conventional 
courtesy,  he  affected  to  realize  what  he  was  doing, 
and  with  an  apologetic  bow,  turned  away. 

And,  somehow,  he  seemed  to  take  Mrs.  Gascoyne's 
nerve  with  him,  for  she  bungled  the  next  rubber 
so  atrociously  that  Judge  Casson's  wonder  almost 
burst  into  speech — and  finally,  when  the  baldest 
sort  of  a  revoke  was  called  on  her,  his  wonder  turned 
to  concern  lest  she  were  ill;  and  he  would  have 
spoken  had  she  not  spoken  first.  The  revoke  had 
been  the  climacteric  sedative. 

"  I'm  not  crazy,  partner,  really  I'm  not ! "  she 
laughed;  "  and  if  you  will  trust  me  for  another 
rubber,  I  will  prove  it." 

And  even  as  the  Judge  assured  her  of  his  endur- 
ing trust,  now  and  forever  and  in  all  things,  she 
saw  Henry  Landor  leave  the  circle  in  the  hall  and 
saunter  carelessly  across  to  the  library.  He  paused 
a  moment  in  the  doorway,  then  came  directly  to 
their  table,  and,  with  a  word  to  Harwood  for  per- 
mission, took  stand  behind  him,  putting  her  in  line 
of  the  fall  of  the  cards,  and  where  she  could  not  see 
him  except  by  deliberately  turning  to  the  side  and 
looking  up. 

Yet  now  it  bothered  her  not  at  all.  She  was  the 
dealer,  and  with  a  weak  passed-heart,  she  played 
the  hand  so  bewilderingly  in  finesse  that  she  scored 
at  least  three  tricks  beyond  the  real  value  of  her 
cards.  And  what  though  her  cheeks  were  a  bit 


PLAYING  THE  PART  119 

flushed  and  her  eyes  snappingly  bright,  if  it  did  not 
affect  the  calm  stroke  of  her  heart,  nor  the  cool 
working  of  her  brain  ! 

"  May  I  be  permitted  to  remark,  Mrs.  Gascoyne," 
said  Landor,  as  the  last  card  fell,  "  you  played 
that  with  splendid  force." 

She  called  the  score,  and  pushed  the  cards  into 
the  middle  of  the  table — very  much  rather  would 
she  have  hurled  them  into  Landor's  face.  Yet  she 
appreciated  that  to  carry  off  her  part,  she  must 
disguise  her  real  feelings ;  so  she  flashed  him  a  smile 
and  a  word  of  thanks ;  at  the  same  time,  however, 
with  no  intention  to  let  the  opportunity  slip. 

"  But  I  did  not  know  you  were  watching  the 
play"  she  ended. 

And  though  the  significance  in  the  accent  was 
very  faint,  yet  he  understood.  And,  with  it,  his 
misgiving  returned  afresh.  During  dinner,  he  had 
become  almost  certain  of  his  recognition,  and  the 
careful  inspection  from  the  doorway,  had  confirmed 
him.  Yet,  now,  all  this  assurance  was  destroyed 
bj-  a  bridge  hand,  a  smile  and  a  rebuke ;  he  was  more 
puzzled  and  more  doubtful  than  ever.  Surely,  if 
Mrs.  Gascoyne  were  she — the  she  he  took  her  to 
be — there  would  have  been  no  such  gracious  smile 
and  manner,  nor  a  venture  of  reproof,  nor  such 
brilliancy  of  card-play  with  him  at  her  very 
shoulder. 

And  then  it  could  very  well  be  that  he  was  mis- 
taken. He  was  identifying  the  woman  of  twenty- 


120         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

eight  by  her  resemblance  to  the  girl  of  eighteen — 
for  it  was  ten  years  since  he  had  seen  her — and 
there  was  little  but  the  face  to  draw  upon — it,  and 
the  indescribable  air  of  individuality  that  clings  to 
every  one,  and  which  those,  once  familiar  with  it, 
seem  to  recognize  instinctively  and  always.  In- 
deed, it  was  this,  with  an  occasional  trick  of  manner- 
ism, which  had  held  him  to  his  opinion,  for  in  two 
important  particulars  there  was  an  utter  dissimilar- 
ity. Mrs.  Gascoyne's  hair  should  be  black  instead 
of  red,  her  voice-tones  airy  and  light  instead  of 
soft  and  low.  That  the  latter  were  natural,  and 
not  assumed,  he  was  well  convinced ;  and  that  the 
hair  was  her  own  and  not  dyed,  he  had  Hilda  Gor- 
don's word,  given  after  a  most  careful  inspection  in 
the  billiard-room.  In  fact,  he  had  lost  a  box  of 
gloves  in  the  finding  out.  Of  course,  the  name 
Gascoyne  did  not  fit  any  better  than  the  hair,  but 
that  was  of  no  consequence.  Names  were  as  easy 
to  change  as  clothes.  To-morrow  it  should  be  his 
business  to  learn  something  of  this  lady's  local 
history,  and  then,  if  possible,  have  a  quiet  little 
chat  with  herself.  It  was  in  the  latter  that  he  had 
most  faith  for  definite  results. 

He  took  a  cigarette  from  the  tray  on  the  table, 
and,  swinging  a  chair  sideways  and  a  little  back  of 
Harwood  and  Mildred,  he  sat  on  the  arm  and 
watched  the  game. 

Mildred  was  dummy,  and  beyond  a  nod  of  per- 
mission to  his  whispered  request  she  gave  him  no 


PLAYING  THE  PART 

regard.  But  when  the  last  trick  was  gathered,  she 
leaned  back,  and,  with  head  half  turned,  addressed 
him  in  bantering  conversation.  Then  as  the  new 
trump  was  declared,  she  faced  around  and  led,  and 
played  the  hand  as  quickly  and  cleverly  as  though 
it  were  some  good  friend,  and  not  the  man  she 
despised  and  feared  most  on  earth,  who  was  looking 
over  her  shoulder,  so  near  that  the  thin  spiral  from 
his  cigarette  curled  upward  past  her  cheek. 

A  moment  later,  her  relief  came.  The  faro  game 
ended,  and  Landor  was  borne  off  by  Mrs.  St.  George 
for  bridge. 

Mildred  did  not  see  him  again  until  she  was  leav- 
ing— after  she  and  Judge  Casson  had  won  by  a 
small  margin.  She  had  paused  for  an  instant  at 
the  drawing-room  door,  to  nod  farewell,  and  Lan- 
dor, who  was  dummy,  forthwith  joined  her. 

"  Good-night ! "  he  said,  bowing,  suave  and 
graceful ;  "  I'm  delighted  you  pulled  out  ahead. 
May  I  come  over  for  a  cup  of  tea,  to-morrow 
afternoon  ?  " 

"  Do  you  like  afternoon  tea  ?  "  she  asked,  thinking 
instantly  of  Harwood. 

"  Very  much,  indeed : — as  a  means  to  an  end." 

"  Really,  Mr.  Landor,"  she  laughed,  "  after  that, 
it  is  positively  ungrateful  that  I  shall  not  be  at 
home  to-morrow  afternoon — try  it  again,  another 
day." 

She  was  playing  the  part  to  the  end,  though  the 
words  almost  choked  her. 


122         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  You  will  be  at  the  meet  in  the  morning,  won't 
you  ?  "  he  asked,  as  she  moved  away. 

"  Yes  !  "  she  answered,  over  her  shoulder.  On  the 
piazza,  she  looked  up  at  Harwood.  "  Promise  me, 
m'sieur,  promise  me,  that  you  won't  let  him  get 
beside  me ! " 

It  was  her  woman's  cry  for  man's  aid  against 
man. 

And  Harwood,  not  understanding,  and  wishing 
not  to  understand  until  she  herself  should  care  to 
make  it  plain,  pressed  the  gloved  hand  she  had 
given  him  at  the  stairway,  and  smiled,  the  reassur- 
ing smile  of  the  dependable  and  strong. 

"  Trust  me,  milady !  "  he  replied — "  for  to- 
morrow— and  as  often  as  you  wish." 

"  Good-night !  "  she  said,  softly,  as  he  handed  her 
into  the  car.  "  Good-night ! — and  thank  you !  " 

"  Good-night ! "  he  answered,  knowing  that  she 
meant  for  him  not  to  come.  He  stepped  back  and 
closed  the  door.  "  Mrs.  Gascoyne's  residence,  Hud- 
son ;  drive  on !  " 


VIII 

THE    QUALITY    OF    MERCY 

THE  Hunt  Club  had  been  organized  something 
over  three  generations  ago,  and  the  membership  was 
limited  strictly  to  descendants  of  the  founders. 

Yet  if  it  were  conservative  in  this  respect,  it  was 
liberal  to  the  limit  otherwise.  Not  only  did  it  main- 
tain the  kennels, — rather  famous,  too,  in  their  strain 
— provide  for  all  damage,  and  look  after  the  supply 
of  foxes,  but  every  one  was  welcome  at  the  covert, 
without  regard  to  mount,  or  dress,  or  position  in 
society.  No  restrictions  were  imposed,  save  cour- 
tesy and  honest  sportmanship.  These  observed, 
and  anyone  was  welcome  to  the  brush;  these  vio- 
lated, and  the  banishment  was  forthwith  and  for- 
ever. As  a  consequence,  the  entire  country-side  was 
on  good  terms  with  the  Club;  and  the  very  indi- 
vidual who  ordinarily  is  the  most  obstructive,  the 
small  farmer,  was  enthusiastic  for  the  sport.  He 
had  seen  his  father  ride  to  the  meet  before  him,  and 
he  had  ridden,  too,  as  soon  as  he  was  big  enough 
to  jump  a  horse.  And  what  though  occasionally 
they  did  cut  up  a  bit  of  his  crop,  or  throw  down  a 
panel  of  fence,  here  and  there!  the  former  would 
be  paid  for  liberally,  upon  notice ;  and  surely,  he 
himself  could  replace  a  few  rails,  as  a  small  return 
for  his  enjoyment. 

123 


124         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

As  a  result,  however,  the  field  was  anything  but 
smart  in  appearance.  There  was  not  a  pink  coat, 
nor  a  top;  not  a  groom,  straining  with  a  nervous, 
high-strung  hunter  dancing  around  and  lashing  out ; 
not  a  hack — the  horse  one  rode  to  covert  had  to 
go  the  course,  too. 

Instead,  women  in  habits  of  various  fashions, 
and  various  headgear — some  with  no  headgear  at 
all,  save  bows  of  ribbon  at  neck  and  crown ;  men 
in  cords  and  puttees — principally  the  younger  mem- 
bers, with  a  few  of  the  elders — but  the  majority, 
club-men,  as  well  as  the  hoi  polloi,  wore  canvas 
leggings,  with  ordinary  trousers  and  sack-coats  that 
did  not  always  match. 

As  for  the  mounts,  they  were  of  every  sort  and 
kind,  from  the  silky-haired  patrician  of  the  Blue- 
grass,  to  the  common-bred  utility  of  the  road;  but 
they  all  could  jump,  and  show  a  bit  of  speed, 
though,  of  course,  in  varying  degrees ;  yet  the  in- 
stances were  by  no  means  few,  in  the  records  of 
the  Egerton  Hunt,  of  the  little  horse  of  a  country- 
man being  first  at  the  death. 

And  it  was  into  such  a  gathering,  that  the  Fair- 
lawn  party  rode,  in  the  hazy  dampness  of  the  early 
morning,  under  escort  of  Judge  Casson  and  For- 
dyce,  who  had  met  them  at  the  cross-roads  beyond 
the  town.  Only  five  had  come  with  Harwood, 
Evelyn  Leicester,  Hilda  Gordon,  Rosalind  Spotts- 
wood,  Wilberforce  and  Landor;  the  others  either 
did  not  ride  or  did  not  care  to;  which  was  rather 


THE  QUALITY  OF  MERCY  125 

fortunate,  as  good  mounts  for  all  of  them  would 
have  been  somewhat  difficult  to  provide. 

Harwood  had  looked,  at  once,  for  Mrs.  Gascoyne, 
and  as  he  could  not  see  her  among  those  in  the 
roadway  and  the  field,  he  assumed  she  had  not 
arrived.  He  had  intended  to  ask  her  to  join  them, 
but,  after  last  night,  he  knew  she  would  not  wish  it. 
Rawdon,  the  M.  F.  H.,  had  come  over  to  Judge 
Casson,  the  President  of  the  Club,  and  was  being 
presented;  he  nodded  familiarly  to  Harwood,  whom 
he  had  met  the  previous  week,  then  swung  up  and 
jogged  across  the  meadow  to  the  cedar  thicket  he 
was  about  to  draw. 

"  Come  on !  "  said  the  Judge,  reining  up  beside 
Mrs.  Leicester,  "  they  are  going  to  throw  off." 

As  Harwood  drew  back,  intending  to  follow  last, 
he  saw  Mrs.  Gascoyne  a  little  way  down  the  road, 
and  he  went  back  slowly  to  meet  her. 

"  A  bit  late !  "  he  said. 

"Do  you  think  so?"  she  smiled,  acknowledging 
his  salute  with  a  lift  of  her  crop.  "  It  seems  to 
me  I've  timed  it  exactly  right ;  I  miss  the  tiresome 
gathering,  and  I — get  you." 

"  You  get  me,  that's  certain !  "  he  said ;  "  but, 
alas,  for  me !  you  will  get  the  others  too." 

"  Thank  you,  m'sieur !  now  we  are  even  on  com- 
pliments." 

"  Mine  was  not  a  compliment ;  it  was  a  simple 
statement  of  fact,"  running  his  eyes  slowly  over 
horse  and  rider — the  one,  blood-bay;  the  other  in 


126         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

dark  green,  a  cocked-hat  bound  in  gold  above  the 
glorious  hair. 

"  That  is  because  you  like  green — and  red !  "  she 
mocked. 

"  Yes — and  something  more,  maybe !  " 

She  touched  her  horse  with  the  spur. 

"  And  it's  rude  to  stare,  m'sieur,  even  on  the 
hunting  field ! "  came  over  her  shoulder,  as  the  bay 
sprang  ahead.  Nor  did  she  let  Hanvood  get  quite 
up  to  her  until  they  had  passed  the  fence,  and  were 
well  down  toward  the  cedars. 

These  cedars — from  within  which,  came  the  voice 
of  the  Huntsman  and  the  cries  of  the  whippers-in — 
bordered,  for  half  a  mile,  the  far  side  of  the  small 
stream  that  bisected  the  meadow  parallel  with  the 
road.  Beyond  the  thicket,  whose  width  was  less 
than  a  third  its  length,  lay  a  rocky  flat  that  lifted 
presently  in  sharp  acclivity  to  the  narrow  comb  of 
the  timber-topped  ridge  which  bound  the  horizon 
to  the  westward. 

"  Don't  you  wish  to  join  your  party?  "  she  asked, 
drawing  down  suddenly  to  a  halt. 

"  No !  "  he  answered ;  "  the  Judge  and  Mr.  For- 
dyce  can  pilot  them — I  should  only  add  to  their 
trouble. — Do  you  wish  to  join  them?  " 

She  shook  her  head;  at  the  same  time  waving  a 
greeting  which  was  really  meant  for  Mrs.  Leicester 
in  particular,  though  it  did  duty  for  them  all. 

"  Or  maybe  you  would  prefer  that  7  join  them?  " 
he  remarked. 


THE  QUALITY  OF  MERCY  127 

"  Quit  fishing !  "  she  laughed.  "  Some  one  must 
pilot  you,  so  why  not  I?  " 

As  they  trotted  quickly  down  to  the  far  right- 
flank,  the  whole  field  watched  them  curiously,  yet  it 
did  not  seem  to  touch  her  in  the  least.  Nor  did  it. 
She  saw  it  all — yet  how  could  it  be  otherwise,  with 
the  new  Master  of  Fairlawn's  first  appearance  at 
the  Hunt !  For  in  all  honesty,  she  did  not  take  a 
single  glance  to  herself — though,  woman-like,  she 
was  quite  sensible  of  having  borne  off  the  hero  of 
the  moment.  She  acknowledged  the  frequent  salu- 
tations, with  a  smile  and  a  nod,  or  simply  with  a 
lift  of  her  crop,  as  the  degree  of  acquaintance  war- 
ranted; and  with  a  word  here  and  there  in  passing, 
but  with  the  faint  air  of  aloofness  which,  while 
wanting  nothing  in  courtesy  nor  cordiality,  did  not 
make  for  intimacy. 

Suddenly,  from  the  thicket,  came  the  long  note  of 
a  hound.  Instantly,  the  field  was  in  commotion. 

"  It's  old  Badger !  "  said  Mrs.  Gascoyne.  "  He 
never  lies — hear !  " 

A  chorus  of  yelps  went  up,  and  the  Huntsman's 
horn  sang  the  "  Tally  ho !  Away !  " 

"  They're  off ! "  she  exclaimed,  gathering  her 
reins,  while  the  horses  pranced  restlessly,  with  heads 
high  and  nostrils  wide.  For  a  moment,  the  field- 
hung  expectantly  until  the  dogs  had  laid  the  course 
—then,  from  deep  in  the  wood,  the  horn  called,  and 
the  hunt  swept  across  the  stream,  and  into  the 
cedars. 


128         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  It's  a  bit  tight,  yonder ! "  she  called  to  Har- 
wood,  as  they  flew  the  water,  side  by  side ;  "  better 
lie  flat  and  go  slow." 

But  neither  was  necessary;  only  a  little  way  in, 
was  a  narrow  cattle-path  that  led  in  their  direction, 
and  down  it  they  galloped,  single  file.  As  they 
came  out  into  the  clearing,  the  hounds  were  almost 
up  the  acclivity ;  the  next  moment,  they  had  passed 
the  summit  and  disappeared,  leaving  behind  their 
tuneful  music,  and  a  crowd  of  racing  horses,  on  the 
flat  below,  extending  in  a  long  irregular  line,  with 
crescent  ends;  one,  Judge  Casson  and  the  Fairlawn 
party,  the  other,  Mrs.  Gascoyne  and  Harwood. 

As  they  struck  the  hill,  she  looked  along  the  field 
and  smiled. 

"  Here,"  she  said,  "  is  where  the  thinning  out 
begins ! " 

When  they  gained  the  ridge  the  pack  was  lost, 
but  far  off  to  the  left  the  cry  was  running. 

"  The  Judge's  luck ! "  she  laughed,  as  they 
plunged  down  the  hill-side ;  "  the  scent  leads  his 
way  instead  of  ours.  I'm  a  poor  pilot." 

"  Nonsense !  "  said  Harwood.  "  I'm  only  riding 
to  be  with  you." 

She  lifted  the  bay  over  a  fallen  tree-trunk,  and 
•gave  Colleton  a  tantalizing  smile. 

"  I  don't  believe  you !  "  she  answered — "  not  with 
that  chorus  in  your  ears.  .  .  .  Listen!  they  have 
turned  ....  they  are  coming  our  way  now !  Come 
on !  m'sieur,  come  on !  we  still  may  lead." 


THE  QUALITY  OF  MERCY  129 

And  Harwood,  never  very  keen  at  the  sport,  be- 
cause of  never  having  followed  it,  except  in  the 
wooden,  made-to-order,  carefully-prepared,  anise 
way,  suddenly  felt  the  tingle  of  the  real  infection, 
and  the  sporting  blood  of  his  ancestors  claimed  its 
own. 

"  I'm  coming !  "  he  replied.     "  Lead  on !  " 

And  she,  used  to  all  the  phases  of  the  hunting 
spirit,  saw  the  change,  and  understood;  and  she 
waved  her  crop  like  a  sword,  and  charged  out  onto 
the  level. 

Five  hundred  yards  to  the  fore  and  half  as  many 
to  the  left,  was  the  pack,  running  on  a  line  that 
would  lead  directly  across  their  front. 

"  Hurrah !  "  she  cried ;  "  we  shall  be  right  among 
them." 

As  she  spoke,  the  dogs  swung  abruptly  to  the  left 
and  straight  away. 

"  Well ! "  she  said,  looking  over  the  field,  "  at 
least  we  are  now  on  even  terms  with  our  friends 
yonder — though  they  have  the  better  going;  it's  a 
trifle  rough  ahead." 

"  Yes,"  Harwood  agreed  a  little  later,  after  a 
succession  of  rather  strenuous  ins-and-outs  among 
fallen  timber  and  slippery,  moss-grown  rocks,  "  I'm 
quite  sure  it  was  a  trifle  rough! — if  Nero  hadn't 
known  his  business  thoroughly,  there  would  have 
been  work  for  the  surgeon." 

"  You're  very  modest ! "  she  laughed ;  "  though 
Nero  is  a  dear." 
9 


130         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Your  bay  is  better — he's  the  easiest  jumper  I 
ever  saw." 

She  leaned  down,  and  patted  the  shiny  neck. 

"I  love  Rajah!"  she  said — and  the  small  ears 
came  back  in  answer.  "  I  could  take  off  the  rein, 
and  he  would  carry  me  through — wouldn't  you, 
boy?" 

They  were  on  the  flat  now,  the  hounds  running 
free,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ahead,  the  entire  hunt 
strung  out  behind  them.  Presently,  the  trail  veered 
sharply  toward  a  line  of  willows  on  the  right  front. 

"  Water?  "  Harwood  asked. 

"  Swamp ! "  said  she,  "  and  a  soft  one !  "  .  .  .  . 
She  gave  an  exclamation  of  disgust.  "  They're  into 
it ! — now  for  a  check." 

She  glanced  quickly  around — yes,  Landor  was 
coming;  they  were  sure  to  meet  at  the  willows,  un- 
less the  dogs  picked  up  at  once ;  and  that,  she  knew 
from  past  experience,  was  most  unlikely.  She  pulled 
down  to  a  trot;  she  would  let  him  get  there  ahead 
of  her;  as  the  last  comer,  she  could  avoid  him  at 
least  for  the  moment. 

From  deep  in  the  swamp,  rose  the  cry  of  the 
Huntsman  and  of  the  whippers-in,  who  had  dis- 
mounted and  gone  in  on  foot,  and  the  answering 
whines  and  barks  of  the  dogs. 

"  Why  not  ride  around  to  the  other  side?  "  Har- 
wood suggested;  he  had  seen  the  look  toward 
Landor,  and  thought  to  aid  her. 

"  The   fox   won't   go   through,"   she   answered : 


THE  QUALITY  OF  MERCY  131 

"  none  of  them  seems  to  fancy  the  deep  water  over 
there.  If  they  are  driven  out,  they  always  break 
cover  on  this  side." 

Then  she  looked  hard  at  Harwood,  and  turned 
directly  across  to  Mrs.  Leicester  and  Fordyce,  who 
had  halted  a  little  apart  from  the  others. 

Whatever  doubt  Evelyn  Leicester  had  entertained 
last  evening,  as  to  Mrs.  Gascoyne's  intentions,  was 
pretty  thoroughly  removed  now.  Never,  she  told 
herself,  had  she  seen  a  more  deliberate  and  wilful 
carrying  off;  nor — and  this  was  the  rub — a  more 
willing  victim.  In  truth,  she  could  scarcely  credit 
it.  For  years,  she  had  been  accustomed  to  have 
Colleton  Harwood  at  her  call;  never  a  thought  of 
rivalry  nor  of  desertion ;  the  always-dependable,  the 
never- failing ;  her  especial  and  particular  man- 
property.  Now,  for  him  to  turn  from  her,  and 
before  her  face  prefer  another  woman,  was  a  shock 
from  which  she  had  not  yet  recovered. 

But  the  very  shock  of  it  had  satisfied  her  of  one 
important  matter: — she  was  not  in  love  with  Har- 
wood ;  it  was  simply  a  pride  in  possession — and  a 
distinct  unwillingness  to  give  him  over  to  another. 
He  had  defined  it  exactly  in  that  message  from 
India,  when  Jack  Leicester  died :  he  was  her  "  elder 
brother  "  — always  the  hardest  for  the  sister  to  lose. 

And  she  was  by  no  means  sure  that  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne  was  the  one  to  have  him  ;  on  that  score,  indeed, 
there  was  much  room  for  conviction.  She  herself 
had  made  a  mess  of  marriage,  by  her  infatuation 


132         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

and  pell-mell,  and  she  had  wed  one  in  her  own  circle, 
and  not  a  mystery  with  a  plethora  of  physical 
beauty  and  a  paucity  of  known  antecedents.  Mrs. 
Gascoyne  might  be  a  lady,  as  Judge  Casson  said, 
and  as  was  altogether  likely  if  demeanor  and  ap- 
pearance count  at  all — yet  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  volun- 
tarily, had  put  herself  in  a  position  which  was 
unusual  and  justified  comment,  if  not  misgiving. 
Consequently,  her  own  attitude  was  one  of  question 
— and  whether  she  would  be  actively  adverse,  or 
simply  keep  hands  off,  was  dependent  upon  further 
acquaintance. 

All  this,  Evelyn  had  been  considering  during  the 
run,  which,  thanks  to  Fordyce's  guidance  and  Hec- 
tor's ability,  she  had  found  very  easy  and  altogether 
enjoyable.  Now  she  met  Mrs.  Gascoyne  with  a 
most  cordial  smile. 

"  Hector  has  made  me  your  everlasting  debtor !  " 
she  said.  "  I  let  him  alone  and  didn't  fuss  him, 
and  he  did  everything  else — he  and  Mr.  Fordyce." 

*'  Oh,  don't  mind  me !  "  said  Fordyce.  "  I'm  not 
sensitive,  like  a  horse." 

"  How  very  fortunate !  "  Evelyn  laughed. 

"  It  is  part  of  the  lawyer's  education,  isn't  it?  " 
Mildred  asked,  smiling  at  Judge  Casson,  who, 
bridle  over  arm,  had  just  joined  them. 

"  Yes,"  said  Fordyce — speaking  at  his  uncle, 
while  affecting  not  to  see  him — "  a  very  necessary 
part ;  else  would  few  Judges  escape  violence." 

"And  few  young  whip-snappers,  jail!"  the  old 


THE  QUALITY  OF  MERCY          13S 

man  ejaculated.  "  At  any  rate,  sir,  you  are  in 
contempt ;  and  the  punishment  is  dispossession  for 
the  rest  of  the  chase. — Will  you  help  me  to  enforce 
it,  madam?  "  bowing  to  Mrs.  Leicester. 

Her  answer  was  lost  in  the  wild  chorus  of  the 
pack,  and  the  ring  of  the  horn.  The  scent  was 
regained.  There  was  a  moment's  confusion,  a  med- 
ley of  cries,  and  when  the  hunt  swept  away,  Judge 
Casson  rode  with  Evelyn  Leicester,  while  Fordyce, 
with  calm  indifference,  had  found  place  beside  Hilda 
Gordon ;  but  he  took  with  him  Mrs.  Leicester's  most 
recalling  smile. 

Meanwhile,  Mildred  Gascoyne  was  having  a 
few  troublesome  minutes.  Harwood  had  just  dis- 
mounted to  adjust  a  girth  when  the  hounds  gave 
tongue,  and  she,  not  being  aware  of  it,  gave 
Rajah  his  head  and  went  on.  In  the  press  and 
clatter  around  her,  she  for  a  little  time  did  not 
notice  his  absence;  it  never  occurred  to  her  that  he 
was  left  behind — struggling  with  a  frantic  horse 
and  an  elusive  stirrup. 

Gradually  the  field  trailed  and  spread — a  killing 
pace  with  a  pair  of  nasty  ditches  and  an  eight  panel 
fence  had  done  it.  The  dogs  were  running  for 
blood;  it  was  only  a  matter  of  minutes  until  they 
passed  from  scent  to  view.  Hitherto,  the  very  joy 
of  the  going  had  possessed  her  utterly ;  she  had  eyes 
and  thoughts  for  only  the  pack  and  the  course 
ahead.  Now,  as  she  swung  into  a  long,  level  field, 
deep  with  daisies  and  lush  grass  and,  as  she  knew 


134         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

from  previous  experience,  full  of  rock  and  holes,  she 
held  up  a  trifle  and  called  back  to  Harwood  (she 
supposed),  who  was  close  behind  on  the  right;  she 
had  cut  down  every  one  else. 

"  Why  don't  you  come  up  ?  "  she  asked.  "  I'll 
be  glad  to  see  you !  " 

"  I've  been  trying  to,"  said  Landor,  as  he 
landed  beside  her,  "  but  that  bay  of  yours  wouldn't 
have  it." 

He  had  noticed  Colleton's  dilemma,  and  forthwith 
had  swung  over  in  pursuit  of  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  lag- 
ging a  bit  behind,  however,  until  no  one  else  was 
near,  and  then  rushing  up  suddenly  to  get  the  effect 
of  a  surprise. 

How  it  was,  that  she  did  not  cry  out  and  betray 
herself,  Mildred  never  knew;  unless,  as  she  told 
Harwood  later,  when  her  heart  made  its  startled 
leap  it  stuck  in  her  throat,  and  choked  back  the 
cry.  Yet,  whatever  it  was,  choke  or  fright,  it  af- 
forded the  moment  of  respite,  necessary  to  recover 
her  self-control. 

And  Landor's  very  presence  aided  her. — She  was 
of  those  who,  timid  and  nervous  in  anticipation,  are 
strong  and  unruffled  when  the  test  comes.  She 
feared  him,  in  the  abstract — as  an  impending 
calamity ;  in  the  concrete,  when  under  her  voice  and 
eye,  and  to  be  met,  she  feared  him  not  at  all. 

She  gathered  her  horse  from  the  spurt,  into 
which  the  other's  coming  up  had  sent  him. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr. — Landor !  "  she  said, 


THE  QUALITY  OF  MERCY  135 

giving  him  a  quick  smile ;  "  I  thought  I  was  speak- 
ing to  Mr.  Harwood.  Wasn't  he  behind  me?  " 

"  A  long  way  behind !  "  Landor  laughed.  "  The 
last  I  saw  him,  he  was  in  hot  chase  of  a  saddle." 

"  A  cropper! — where?  " 

He  did  not  miss  the  quickness  of  it. 

"  No,  not  a  cropper !  "  he  answered — and  ex- 
plained. 

She  twisted  far  around,  and  glanced  back  along 
the  track.  (Whoever  of  women-kind  thinks  it  easy 
to  do,  let  her  try  it  on  a  running  horse. )  Harwood 
was  two  fields  away,  and  coming  at  top  speed.  He 
saw  her  looking,  and  flung  up  his  arm  in  response. 

As  she  faced  to  the  front  again,  she  glanced  at 
Landor;  he  was  watching  her  intently.  Suddenly 
she  appeared  to  lose  the  motion ;  she  swayed  uncer- 
tainly ;  seemed  to  be  on  the  point  of  falling ;  then, 
with  a  little  cry,  she  grasped  the  pommel  and  re- 
covered her  seat. 

In  the  doing,  she  had  pulled  Rajah  out  of  his 
stride  and  down  almost  into  a  canter — which  was 
one  object;  and  failed.  Landor  did  not  go  on; 
he  held  back  with  her.  The  other,  and  by  far 
the  more  important,  was  to  retrieve,  if  possible, 
the  blunder  of  having  done  that  old  saddle-trick 
with  Landor  looking  on ;  when  he  had  seen  it  years 
before,  she  did  not  bungle  the  recovery. 

"  Very  cleverly  done  !  "  he  said. 

She  understood  his  insinuation  perfectly,  but  she 
put  it  aside. 


136         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Which — the  turn  or  the  return?  "  she  laughed. 

"  Both,"  he  said ;  "  but  especially  the  return." 

She  met  this  with  silence,  eyes  fixed  on  the  pack 
ahead;  and  he,  doubtful  again,  not  sure  that  she 
had  heard,  and  not  daring  to  push  the  matter 
further  then,  was  forced  to  quiet.  And  the  dis- 
turbing tiling  about  it  all  was,  that  this  misgiving 
arose  only  with  her  direct  presence.  So  long  as  he 
stood  aloof  and  watched  her,  he  had  no  doubt — the 
instant  he  came  under  her  voice  or  actions,  the  doubt 
revived. 

A  decrepit  worm-fence,  a  hundred  yards  away, 
marked  the  end  of  the  daisies  and  lush  grass;  be- 
yond, lay  a  plowed  field.  She  had  given  Rajah  his 
head,  and  they  took  the  fence  in  the  stride.  Landor 
was  over,  two  panels  away,  regardless  of  her  prayer 
for  a  refusal  or  a  smash.  She  listened  for  Harwood, 
not  caring  to  look  back  a  second  time.  If  only  he 
would  come  up! 

Then  clear  and  sweet,  from  horn  and  voice,  rang 
the  "  view-hallo  " ;  and  straightway  both  Landor 
and  Harwood  were  forgot.  With  the  quick  sight- 
instinct  of  the  expert,  her  eyes  found  the  little  spot 
of  reddish-brown,  that  was  stealing  swiftly  across 
the  rock-strewn  flat  toward  the  pines  on  the  farther 
side.  Rajah  felt  the  quick  prick  of  the  needle,  but 
there  was  no  need  of  it  to  urge  him  on.  The  wild 
clamor  of  the  pack  was  calling  as  loud  to  him  as  to 
his  mistress.  And  not  to  them,  only — the  whole 
field  was  down,  and  riding  for  the  kill. 


THE  QUALITY  OF  MERCY  137 

Landor  had  made  no  effort  to  keep  beside  Mrs. 
Gascoyne.  Instead,  he  fell  back  a  few  lengths,  and 
watched  the  race  between  her  and  Evelyn  Leicester. 
The  latter  had  forgot  everything  but  the  ecstasy 
of  the  chase,  the  rush  of  the  air,  the  sweeping  swing 
of  the  horse,  the  lure  of  a  quarry  in  sight,  escaping, 
and  to  be  caught.  She  gave  Hector  his  head  and  let 
him  have  his  way ;  for  the  moment,  there  was  but 
one  object  for  both — to  come  up  with  the  slender, 
brown  body  flitting  yonder  among  the  rocks. 

And  beside  her  rode  Judge  Casson,  smiling  satis- 
fiedly  and  very  well  content.  To  him,  the  two  great 
joys  of  existence  were  a  fox  in  view,  and  a  pretty 
woman ;  here,  he  had  them  both. 

Meanwhile,  the  big  dog-fox  was  making  a  brave 
run  for  the  timber;  there  lay  his  last  chance  for 
life.  Behind  him  raced  the  pack.  It  was  not  the 
first  time  that  he  had  heard  it  there,  though,  verily, 
never  quite  so  near.  A  quick  glance  around — a 
great,  scar-faced  hound,  that  he  had  come  to  know 
for  the  leader  of  his  foes,  was  almost  upon  him. 
He  threw  in  his  last  ounce  of  reserve  strength, 
bounded  across  a  high,  moss-grown  rock,  and,  while 
the  hounds  were  scrambling  over  or  around  it,  he 
gained  the  shadow  of  the  pines.  But  the  respite 
was  only  momentarily ;  right  behind  him  flashed  the 
white  streak  of  the  pack — old  Badger  a  length  to 
the  fore. 

"  They  will  kill  in  thirty  seconds  !  "  Judge  Casson 
called  to  Mrs.  Leicester. — "  Ride  for  it !  ride !  " 


138         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

And  Mildred  Gascoyne,  a  little  way  off  on  the 
same  line,  heard;  and  in  courtesy  she  drew  Rajah 
down  the  trifle  that  would  insure  the  place  to  their 
guest  and  Fairlawn's  coming  mistress. 

At  the  same  instant,  the  note  of  the  pack 
changed;  it  spoke  frantic  eagerness  to  destroy,  but 
not  destruction. 

"  Denned !  "  the  Judge  muttered. 

But  the  Judge  was  mistaken.  Treed,  he  should 
have  said ;  Reynard  had  gone  up,  not  down.  With 
the  dogs  at  his  heels,  and  no  hope  to  trick  or  outrun 
them,  he  had  taken  a  flying  leap  into  the  low 
branches  of  a  heavy  cedar,  and  with  all  the  strength 
and  pliability  of  his  sinuous  body,  he  had  worked 
his  way  well  forward  to  the  top.  Old  Badger's 
teeth  snapped  behind  him,  as  he  sprang;  and  now 
the  whole  pack  were  leaping,  and  yelping  in  baffled 
fury ;  while  he,  safe  for  the  moment,  watched  them, 
with  the  glitter  of  eye  and  gleam  of  fang,  that  goes 
for  the  fox's  laugh. 

It  was  into  such  a  kill  that  Evelyn  led  the  field. 

"  The  brush  is  yours,  Mrs.  Leicester ! "  said  the 
M.  F.  H.,  who,  dismounted  and  standing  knee-deep 
among  the  hounds,  had  brought  them  to  a  sem- 
blance of  quiet.  "  Will  you  have  it,  or  shall  we 
drive  him  down,  and  continue  the  run  ?  " 

"  Is  he  my  fox?  "  said  Evelyn,  surprised. 

"  All  yours ;  no  one'  else  has  a  word  to  say." 

She  hesitated,  just  a  bit  perplexed. 

"  I  don't  wish  to  spoil  sport,"  she  said,  with  an 


THE  QUALITY  OF  MERCY          139 

embarrassed  little  laugh,  and  a  swift  glance  toward 
Harwood — who  had  pushed  his  way  to  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne's  right — "  yet,  don't  you  think  that  a  fox 
who  climbs  a  tree  deserves  his  life?  " 

A  ripple  of  applause  ran  over  the  crowd,  while 
Judge  Casson  and  Fordyce  cried  out  in  approval. 

The  Huntsman  bowed,  smilingly. 

"  The  run  is  over ! "  he  announced,  and  blew  the 
recall. 


IX 

THE    QUEER    ELEMENT   IN    THE    CASE 

"  HELLO,  Harwood !  "  said  Tony  Wilberforce,  as 
Colleton  stopped  in  the  billiard-room  doorway; 
"  aren't  you  sorry  you  asked  us  down?  " 

"  No,"  said  Harwood,  "  no ;  not  yet !  " 

"  But  soon  !  "  Wilberforce  added.  "  Well  maybe 
/  am  now" 

"  Sorry,  old  chap,"  Colleton  laughed,  "  but  the 
last  express  to  frivolity  and  white-light  has  gone  for 
the  day;  you  will  have  to  bear  with  us  until  to- 
morrow; the  first  train  out  is  at  seven — just  leave 
a  call  with  William,  please,  and  excuse  me  from 
coming  down." 

Tony  sent  the  red  around  the  table  and  gathered 
on  the  end  rail. 

"  Good !  I'll  excuse  you  from  coming  down  for 
the  next  two  weeks,"  he  said.  "  You're  a  more  con- 
siderate host  than  I  thought;  I've  misjudged  you; 
my  most  humble  apologies,  old  friend.  Now  I  shall 
have  a  chance  at  Diana." 

"  Oh,  I  see " 

"  Of  course  you  see !  and  so  do  the  rest  of  us ; 
but  you  are  jolly  careful  that  we  take  it  out  in  see- 
ing. Why  don't  you  give  some  one  else  an  oppor- 
tunity to  show  a  decently  polite  interest  in  your 
140 


THE  QUEER  ELEMENT  141 

neighbor,  with  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  rare 
loveliness  thereunto  belonging." 

"  Positively,  Tony,  I  can't  imagine  how  you  do 
it!  Such  richness  of  diction  and  profundity  of 
thought !  Go  over  and  repeat  it  to  the  neighbor  in 
question ;  don't  waste  it  on  me." 

"  Look  at  you !  "  Wilberforce  continued ;  "  went 
for  her  last  evening,  monopolized  her  at  dinner,  kept 
her  at  bridge,  then  took  her  away  immediately; 
never  gave  any  one  a  look  in — all  this  in  your  own 
house!  And  this  morning!  grabbed  her  before 
she  came  up,  carried  her  to  the  far  flank,  kept  her 
there.  Selfishness  !  selfishness  !  rotten  selfishness  !  " 
Then  he  chuckled.  "  It  was  delightful  to  see  you 
doing  the  stirrup  dance,  and  Landor  steal  your 
place — Landor  of  all  men  !  " 

"  Why  didn't  you  steal  it?  " 

"  Because  I  wasn't  near  enough — which  is  the 
only  reason,  I  can  assure  you."  He  laid  down  the 
cue,  and  swung  one  leg  over  the  corner  of  the  table. 
"  Do  you  know,  Colleton,"  he  said,  "  I  believe  that 
infernal  bounder  is  trying  to  work  his  lovely  man- 
ners upon  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  too.  He  was  eyeing  her 
last  evening,  and  hanging  on  her  trail  this  morning 
during  the  chase.  Sometimes,  I  want  to  punch  his 
damn  head." 

"  Whose  damn  head,  Tony  ? "  asked  Evelyn 
Leicester,  through  the  open  window,  that  looked  out 
into  the  garden. 

"  Yours !  "  said  Wilberforce—"  for  letting  that 


THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

dazzling  widow,  yonder,  get  her  hooks  into  Har- 
wood." 

"  How  am  I  to  blame?  "  she  laughed,  stepping 
over  the  low  sill  into  the  room. 

"  For  not  marrying  him." 

The  bluntness  of  it  was  startling — Harwood 
frowned;  Evelyn  flushed,  faintly. 

"  I  can't,  Tony !  "  she  said — "  I've  done  every- 
thing but  propose,  and  he  has  warned  me  not  to  do 
that,  if  I  wish  to  avoid  a  refusal." 

"  I  didn't  imagine  he  was  such  a  consummate  ass. 
It  would  be  quite  safe  to  try  it  on  me." 

"  You  forget ;  it's  only  a  week  since  you  said  that 
you  couldn't  afford  me." 

"  I  didn't  forget,"  he  replied,  "  and  I  knew  you 
wouldn't,  either. — I  could  be  quite  as  handy  around 
the  house  as  our  friend  here ;  but,  you  see,  I  haven't 
the  house,  nor  the  requisite  Russian-Imperial- 
Sables-straight  -  front  -  sheath  -  bocker-lingerie  bank 
account." 

"  If  you  could  turn  that  iridescent  vocabulary 
into  cash,"  Harwood  exclaimed,  "  you  would  have 
more  than  enough  to  buy  the  earth." 

"  It's  a  rum  habit,  I  know,"  said  Wilberforce, 
going  toward  the  door,  "  but  you  see  it  is  the  only 
extravagance  I  can  afford." 

"  Why  not  economize  ?  "  Evelyn  laughed. 

He  paused,  and  looked  at  her  meditatively. 

*'  I'll  do  it !  "  he  replied,  and  went  upstairs,  leav- 
ing her  suddenly  troubled  of  heart. 


THE  QUEER  ELEMENT  143 

It  had  come  to  her — from  something  in  his  look — 
that  he  really  cared.  And  she  liked  him  enough  to 
be  sorry. 

"  Have  you  been  presented  to  the  goddess  of  the 
garden?  "  Harwood  asked.  (He  had  not  observed 
Wilberforce's  look,  nor,  if  he  had,  would  he  have 
seen  anything  unusual  in  it. )...."  No  ?  then 
come  out  and  meet  her !  " 

"  Might  it  be  that  her  hair  is  Titian?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  don't  know !  "  he  laughed ;  "  I've  never  seen 
her;  but  Cleopatra  tells  that  it  is  black." 

She  flashed  him  a  smile,  and  they  passed  out 
among  the  flowers. 

"  It  is  delicious !  "  she  exclaimed,  breathing  in  the 
mingled  perfumes ;  "  and  utterly  fascinating  in  its 
air  of  rest  and  dignified  seclusion.  I  don't  wonder 
you  love  it!  ....  I  fancy  Northumberland  won't 
see  very  much  of  you  hereafter." 

He  broke  off  a  cluster  of  Cherokees  and  hung  it 
across  her  shoulder. 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  said ;  "  I  never  was  there, 
anyway,  except  in  spring  and  early  autumn." 

"  Nor  is  any  one  else  who  can  get  away — and 
now,  with  this  home,  there  is  nothing  to  draw  you 
back  to  Northumberland,  even  then." 

"  Nothing  but  the  tendency  of  a  body  to  continue 
in  its  orbit." 

"  Pooh ! "  she  retorted ;  "  you  are  out  of  the  old 
orbit,  now — you're  already  tributary  to  another 
sun." 


144         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  What  sun?  "  he  asked. 

"  The  sun  of  family  tradition." 

"  Say  rather  the  staticism  of  natural  indolence." 

"  Nonsense,  Colleton !  you  are  not  in  the  least 
indolent ;  it  is  all  assumed.  And  why  shouldn't  you 
stay  here?  If  Fairlawn  were  my  home  I'd  be  crazy 
about  it.  I  wouldn't  leave  it,  except  perhaps  in 
mid-winter,  for  any  place  I  ever  saw — and  then  I 
certainly  would  not  go  back  to  black  snow  and 
bituminous  atmosphere." 

"  Shouldn't  you  even  want  to  see  your  old 
friends?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  could  have  them  down  here." 

"  You  always  did  prefer  the  country  to  the  big 
town,"  he  said ;  "  and  I'm  about  persuaded  that  you 
are  right." 

"  Aside  from  that  question,  however,  wouldn't 
you  rather  be  the  Master  of  Fairlawn,  with  all  which 
it  signifies  in  this  locality,  than  simply  Colleton 
Harwood  of  Northumberland,  of  the  clan  of  the 
idle-rich?  " 

"  I  should  be  of  the  idle-rich,  here,  just  the  same." 

"  No — quite  no !  there,  you  are  an  inconsequent 
dawdler;  here,  you  will  be  under  obligation  to  up- 
hold the  customs  of  an  honored  name." 

"  And  j'ou  think  that  will  be  laborious  ? "  he 
smiled. 

"  I  think  it  will  be  a  great  opportunity ;  with 
your  wealth  and  experience  you  should  be  another 
Captain  Beverly  Harwood." 


THE  QUEER  ELEMENT  145 

"  What  do  you  know  of  him?  "  he  asked,  sur- 
prised. 

"  Judge  Casson  says  he  was  the  real  king  of  all 
this  section." 

"  He  had  a  Betty  Colleton  for  queen." 

"  Then  let  it  be  your  immediate  business  to  find 
a  Betty  Colleton." 

"  There  are  few  of  them  on  earth,  these  days," 
he  replied ;  "  I  know  only  one,  and  she  wouldn't 
marry  me ! " 

"  Thank  you,  Colleton ! "  she  said ;  making  no 
pretence  not  to  understand ;  "  though  how  do  you 
know  I  would  not  marry  you  ?  " 

"  Shall  I  ask  you?  "  he  demanded,  smiling. 

She  shook  her  head.  "  No,  you  are  quite  right ; 
we  have  been  friends  too  long  to  fall  in  love  now." 

"  Say,  rather,  that  we  know  each  other  too  well — 
love  would  never  get  to  the  altar  if  it  were  not 
blind ;  it  is  not  until  the  first  note  of  the  Recessional 
that  it  is  blessed  with  sight." 

"  Blessed  ?  "  she  echoed,  thinking  instantly  of 
Jack  Leicester, — "  damned,  you  mean !  " 

"  Whichever  way  you  wish  it,  Evelyn !  "  he  re- 
plied. (On  the  subject  of  her  former  experience 
there  was  entire  frankness  between  them. )  "  But 
with  us  is  love  really  essential?  Why  not  marry  as 
friends  ?  " 

"  Because,  my  dear  boy,  we  are  too  young — 
friends  don't  marry  until  they  are  growing  old  and 
need  each  other's  nursing." 
10 


146         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

They  were  standing  beside  the  sun-dial;  she 
folded  her  arms  upon  it  and  leaned  across,  regard- 
ing him  with  a  smile  almost  tender. 

"  And  now,  Colleton,"  she  said,  "  you  have  done 
your  devoir, — you  have  met  Wilberforce's  nasty 
contretemps  bravely  and  at  once.  I  am  grateful — 
and  I've  manifested  it  by  refusing  you."  She  put 
out  her  hand  to  him.  "  Only,  I  pray  you,  don't 
choose  your  Betty  until  you  have  proved  her  well." 

He  laughed  and  took  her  hand. 

"  You  are  thinking  of  Mrs.  Gascoyne?  "  he  said. 

"  Yes,  I  am  thinking  of  Mrs.  Gascoyne." 

"  You  do  not  like  her?  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  am  very  much  taken  with 
her — but,  in  a  wife, .  you  want  more  than  beauty 
and  attractive  ways." 

"  They  are  rather  fetching  qualities  to  start 
with,  don't  you  think  ? — and  fairly  indicative  of  the 
rest." 

"  They  are  the  primarily  essential  qualities,  with 
most  men,"  she  replied ;  "  but  I  can't  admit  that 
they  are  dependable  indications  of  either  disposition 
or  morals." 

"  Possibly  not  dependable,  certainly  presump- 
tive." 

"  Perhaps ! — but  for  goodness  sake,  Colleton, 
verify  the  presumption  before  you  marry  her." 

"  I'll  do  better,"  Harwood  chuckled;  "  I'll  let  you 
do  the  verifying." 

She  made  a  gesture  of  dissent. 


THE  QUEER  ELEMENT  147 

"  Be  serious !  "  she  said. 

"  How  can  I  ? — I  have  no  thought  of  marrying 
Mrs.  Gascoyne — nor  any  one  else." 

"  No  present  thought,  possibly — and  you  don't 
consider  Mrs.  Gascoyne;  she  may  have  a  very  pres- 
ent thought  on  the  subject." 

"  She  has !  "  he  laughed,  "  but  not  quite  in  the 
way  you  mean,  my  dear — she  is  under  the  impres- 
sion that  you  and  I  are  betrothed. 

"And  why?" 

"  Because  Judge  Casson  told  her,  I  fancy — he 
seems  to  have  assumed  it  from  something  that  was 
said,  or  not  said,  the  day  I  came  here;  he  wanted 
me  to  remain  over  Saturday ;  I  plead  duty  to  a  lady 
in  Northumberland  and  promised  to  bring  her  down 
the  following  week.  I  saw  his  inference,  but  it 
rather  amused  me,  and  I  let  it  go." 

She  nodded,  silent  for  a  little  while.  She  was 
seeing  some  things  in  quite  a  different  light : — re- 
marks of  Fordyce,  suggestions  of  the  Judge ;  par- 
ticularly, Mrs.  Gascoyne's  conversation  in  the 
billiard-room  the  prior  evening.  It  was  Evelyn, 
herself,  whom  she  had  had  in  mind  as  mistress  of 
Fairlawn. 

"  I  am  sorry !  "  said  Harwood,  taking  her  silence 
for  disapproval  and  annoyance.  "  I  will  see  to  it 
at  once  that  you  are  set  right." 

"  Nonsense — why  bother !  if  you  can  bear  up, 
I'm  sure  I  can;  and  it  will  help  to  keep  the  Judge 
and  his  handsome  nephew  in  order." 


148         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Her  real  purpose  was  to  withhold  the  truth  from 
Mrs.  Gascoyne.  And  Harwood  understood. 

"  May  I  not  tell  my  neighbor  ?  "  he  asked. 

She  threw  up  her  hands  in  despair. 

"  You  don't  deserve  to  be  saved !  "  she  exclaimed. 
"  I've  a  great  mind  to  let  you  go  your  own  sweet 
way." 

"  Mrs.  Gascoyne  being  the  sweet  way? "  he 
laughed. 

He  turned  away,  toward  the  Hall. 

"  You  are  uncommonly  silly  to-day,"  she  said ; 
"  and  flippancy  is  impervious  to  argument  and  rea- 
son. But  I've  had  my  say,  and  the  sister's 
conscience  is  clear,  even  if  her  mind  isn't." 

He  put  his  arm  around  her  shoulder,  and  took 
the  hand  she  lifted  to  his. 

"  Trust  me,  my  dear !  "  he  said ;  "  the  last  Master 
of  Fairlawn  managed  to  work  along  without  a  wife, 
and  why  shouldn't  I — especially,  when  I  have  worked 
along  so  comfortably  thus  far." 

She  stopped,  still  holding  his  hand,  and  looked 
up  at  him  with  an  enchanting  smile. 

"  At  least,  Colleton,"  she  said,  "  promise  that 
while  I'm  here,  you  won't  again  desert  me  for — her, 
as  you  did  this  morning." 

"  I  promise !  "  he  answered.  "  I  never  imagined 
that  you  would  mind;  you  had  the  Judge  and 
Fordyce." 

"  No — they  had  me ! — though,  really,  there  are 
possibilities  in  Fordyce." 


THE  QUEER  ELEMENT  149 

"  I  noticed  you  searching  for  them  last  night,"  he 
smiled. 

"  And  I  found  them ;  buried  deep  down  under 
cynicism  and  cultivated  indifference — too  deep,  I 
fear,  to  dig  out." 

"  Do  you  think  of  trying?  " 

"  I  don't  know — perhaps — it  suggests  rather 
much  labor  for  small  amusement ;  besides,  there  is 
some  one  else  who  is  vastly  more  promising  of  re- 
sults." 

"Tony?" 

"  No,  not  Tony!     Why  should  you  name  him?  " 

"  Don't  you  know,  Evelyn?  " 

She  nodded.  "  I  didn't  know  until  just  a  little 
while  ago  in  the  billiard-room.  I'm  so  sorry-" 

"  Don't  be ! "  said  Harwood.  "  It's  not  your 
fault;  and  it  all  goes  in  the  game." 

"  No,  it  doesn't !  it's  not  in  the  game  for  an  old 
friend  to  become  a  lover — and,  to  me,  it  is  very 
pathetic." 

"  I  refuse  to  associate  the  pathetic  with  Tony ! " 
he  laughed ;  "  whom  do  you  mean — not  the  old 
Judge?  " 

She  shook  her  head,  smiling. 

"  Guess  again,"  she  said — "  who  is  the  one  you 
would  least  imagine?  " 

He  stared  at  her  incredulously,  a  bit  of  a  frown 
gathering. 

"  Not  Landor !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Yes,  Landor ! — why  not  ?     There,  don't  look  so 


150         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

black,  Colleton ! — if  you  enjoy  an  affair  with  a  mys- 
tery why  shouldn't  I  ?  " 

"  Surely,  Evelyn,  you  are  not  serious?  " 

"  Again,  why  not  ?  he  is  very  handsome  and  his 
manners  are  beautiful !  "  she  quoted. 

Harwood  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  was  silent. 
Mrs.  Leicester  slipped  her  hand  through  his  arm 
and  drew  him  to  a  nearby  seat. 

"  Don't  you  think  there  should  be  a  reciprocity 
in  trustfulness?  "  she  asked. 

He  smiled,  then  laughed  softly,  a  quizzical  gleam 
in  his  grey  eyes. 

"  Just  what  is  the  purpose  in  this  rounding-in 
of  Landor?  "  he  asked.  "  Is  it  to  punish  Hilda 
Gordon,  or  are  you  and  she  working  together  to 
drop  him  between  you,  so  to  speak?," 

"  Neither — though  Hilda  may  not  be  pleased." 
She  got  up,  glanced  around  and  over  the  hedge 
behind  them,  then  resumed  her  place.  "  It  is  this : 
and  quit  laughing,  or  I  won't  tell  you." 

"  I'm  mum !  "  said  Harwood,  solemnly. 

She  leaned  close  over — so  close  that  her  body 
pressed  against  him,  and  the  perfume  of  her  hair 
enveloped  his  face  in  violets.  In  a  sudden  impulse, 
he  slipped  his  arm  around  her  waist,  and  drew  her 
even  closer. 

"  Listen ! "  she  said,  giving  him  a  bewitchingly 
daring  smile,  and  making  no  move  to  draw  away. 
"  Henry  Landor  knows  your  neighbor,  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne — that  surprises  you ! — and,  what  is  more,  she 


THE  QUEER  ELEMENT  151 

knows  him,  though  she  feigns  she  doesn't;  and  she 
plays  it  so  cleverly  that  he  dares  not  trust  his 
recognition." 

"  When  did  you  pick  up  this  queer  idea  ?  "  he 
half  scoffed,  wishing  to  draw  her  out. 

"  Last  evening.  He  watched  her,  either  openly 
or  slyly,  all  through  dinner ;  while  she  never  so 
much  as  gave  him  a  glance — ignoring  him  so  stead- 
ily that  it  could  be  only  by  intention.  You  didn't 
notice  it,  of  course;  you  were  too  occupied  with 
looking  at  her — though  I  don't  blame  you ;  she  was 
good  to  look  at." 

"  And  is  that  all?  "  he  asked,  tightening  his  arm 
a  trifle. 

"  No,  it  distinctly  isn't ! — if  it  were,  it  would  be 
without  import.  I  admit  I  thought  nothing  of  it 
at  the  time.  The  other  clues  gave  it  significance. — 
Better  take  your  arm  away  now,  Colleton ;  if  we  are 
seen,  no  one  will  know  it  is  only  a  brotherly  embrace 
— indeed,  I'd  hardly  take  it  as  that  sort,  myself/' 

Harwood  laughed,  withdrew  his  arm,  and  turn- 
ing sideways,  one  knee  on  the  bench,  faced  her. 

"  Proceed ! "  he  said ;  "  what  are  the  other 
clues?" 

"  Landor's  actions ;  and  hers,  later,  during  the 
game.  He  watched  her  from  the  doorway  and 
hung  around  the  table,  studying  her,  like  one  con- 
vinced yet  still  doubtful.  And  don't  you  remember 
her  erratic  play  ? — commonplace,  at  first ;  brilliant, 
so  long  as  he  was  looking  on;  positively  rotten  the 


152         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

moment  he  went  away ;  and  becoming  suddenly  bril- 
liant again  when  he  returned." 

"  How  does  that  prove  anything  for  your  propo- 
sition? "  he  asked.  "  Isn't  it  dead  against  you?  " 

"  I  think  not,"  she  said.  "  Some  minds — espe- 
cially women's — grow  abnormally  clear  and  quick 
under  strain  or  excitement,  with  instant  reaction 
when  it  is  over.  This  happened  twice  with  Mrs. 
Gascoyne.  Oh,  she  has  known  Landor, — of  that,  I'm 
sure — but  for  some  reason  she  does  not  intend  to 
know  him  now.  And  she  plays  her  part  beautifully. 
Landor  is  completely  mystified — he  is  sure  he  knows 
her,  and  yet  at  the  pinch  he  isn't  sure.  Indeed,  she 
is  clever,  very  clever !  " 

Harwood  was  astonished.  She  had  hit  the  true 
conclusion — his  own  further  knowledge  confirmed  it. 
Here  was  a  power  of  observation,  and  inference  that 
he  had  never  suspected ;  and  if  she  set  herself  to  the 
problem  there  was  very  likely  to  be  a  solution  which, 
necessarily,  must  be  unpleasant  for  one  of  the  per- 
sons in  question,  maybe  for  both.  For  Landor  he 
cared  not  at  all,  but  Mrs.  Gascoyne  had  appealed 
to  him  for  aid,  and  she  should  have  it.  Opposition 
was  pretty  sure  to  make  Evelyn  the  more  deter- 
mined— she  would  know  his  interest  was  solely  for 
Mrs.  Gascoyne.  For  the  moment  there  was  only  to 
show  amused  incredulity. 

"  Why,  under  the  sun,  should  he  be  doubtful  if 
he  ever  actually  Ttnew  her?  "  he  asked ;  "  how  could 
she  deceive  him?  She  talked  with  him  during  the 


THE  QUEER  ELEMENT  153 

game,  and  in  the  hall  afterward,  and  on  the  hunt 
this  morning;  she  doesn't  avoid  him  as  one  she  was 
refusing  to  recognize." 

Mrs.  Leicester  smiled,  and,  leaning  back,  crossed 
her  silk-clad  knees,  and  swung  a  trim  foot  and 
glistening  ankle  into  view. 

"  That  is  the  queer  element  in  the  case,"  she  said ; 
"  and  makes  it  so  interesting.  Frankly  I  don't 
know  the  why — if  I  did,  the  riddle  would  be  solved." 

"  But  why  should  she  not  only  refuse  to  recog- 
nize him,  but  also  play  that  she  never  knew  him  ?  " 

"  Your  '  not  only  '  is  comprehended  in  your  '  but 
also  ' !  "  she  laughed ;  "  and  the  answer  is,  that  either 
Landor  is  the  sort  that  a  woman  '  forgets,'  or  he 
knows  something  of  her  which  is  not  to  her  credit." 

"  Of  the  two,  which  does  your  deduction  favor — 
the  <  either'  or  the  'or'?" 

"  Neither — and  both !  "  she  said,  placidly.  "  Her 
manner  at  dinner  chimed  with  the  former;  at  the 
card  table,  with  the  latter;  in  the  hall  and  on  the 
hunt,  with  neither." 

He  held  to  the  bantering  smile,  though  his  aston- 
ishment almost  effaced  it. 

"  These  amazing  powers  of  analysis,"  he  said, 
"  have  you  always  had  them  with  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  she,  "  yes ;  and  practised  them  upon 
you  these  many  years.  In  fact,  I  might  say,  I 
trained  entirely  that  way." 

Harwood  grinned  broadly;  she  had  pinked  him 
true. 


154         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Which  doubtless  accounts  for  your  fallacies," 
he  sympathized.  "  Better  take  another  course  off 
some  one  else." 

She  laughed  very  softly,  and  drew  over  close  be- 
side him — her  blue-black  hair  brushing  his  cheek, 
the  violet  perfume  saturating  his  face. 

"  I  am  about  to ! "  she  whispered,  catching  his 
arm  and  holding  it  to  the  front,  "  I'm  about  to — 
off  Henry  Landor.  And  if  it's  bad  for  the  lady, 
I  promise  that  none  shall  know  it  but  you." 


X 

THE  SNUFF-BOX 

IF  the  letter  had  not  been  in  Henry  Landor's 
mail  the  next  afternoon — or  if  it  had  not  come  while 
he  was  at  Fairlawn — or  if  he  himself  had  not  come 
to  Fairlawn — or  if —  But,  why  conjecture! 

Who-ever  knows  what  would  have  happened,  if  what 
did  happen  had  not  happened? 

As  it  was,  this  particular  letter  lay  with  other 
mail  on  Lander's  dressing-table  when  he  came  in 
from  a  drive  over  the  battle-field;  and  when  he  saw 
the  business  card  in  the  corner  he  put  the  rest  aside 
and  read  it  at  once.  Then  he  read  it  again,  very 
slowly ;  and  a  third  time,  in  portions.  After  which 
he  swore  softly  but  emphatically,  and  proceeded  to 
clean-up  and  dress.  When  he  had  finished,  he  sat 
down ;  and  after  going  through  the  letter  a  fourth 
time,  he  turned  it  over  and  went  to  figuring  on  it, 
referring,  from  time  to  time,  to  a  list  on  a  slip  of 
paper  he  took  from  his  card-case. 

"  Oh,  hell ! — what's  the  use !  "  he  exclaimed,  and 
stuffed  them  into  his  pocket ;  "  Spreader  will  have  to 
hold  off  and  carry  me." 

He  went  over  to  the  window  and  stood  there, 
staring  unseeingly  into  the  blue  distance.  What 
to  do! 

Down  on  the  piazza,  Tony  Wilberforce  was  bal- 
155 


156         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

anced  on  the  rail,  swinging  his  long  legs,  and 
glancing  over  the  headlines  of  a  Northumberland 
morning  paper,  which  had  just  come  in.  Suddenly, 
he  gave  a  whistle  of  surprise,  and  looked  up  at 
Burgoyne  who  was  standing  in  the  doorway. 

"  I  say,  Burgoyne !  "  he  called,  "  have  you  seen 
the  news? — Spreader  and  Hepson  have  smashed." 

Burgoyne  nodded.  "  And  nasty,  too  ! — bars,  as 
well  as  bankruptcy,  I  fancy." 

"  Spreader  is  to  blame,  of  course." 

"  Entirely.     Hepson  never  had  any  say." 

"  I'm  sorry  for  Hepson,"  said  Wilberforce. 

"  So  am  I,  but  none  is  coming  to  Spreader.  He 
is  the  sort  that  will  have  plenty  laid  away. — You 
didn't  trade  with  them?  " 

"  Not  I,  my  friend ! — I'm  quite  too  bare  of  col- 
lateral to  trade  with  anyone." 

"  You're  dead  lucky — not  a  customer  will  recover 
his  collateral — it  will  all  go  for  the  debts ;  the  courts 
will  treat  it  as  an  ordinary  asset  of  the  firm." 

"  What  if  the  collateral  is  in  excess  of  his  debit 
balance  ?  " 

"  He  will  be  a  general  creditor  for  the  difference 
— and  you  may  be  sure  that  Spreader  has  been  care- 
ful to  see  that  there  won't  be  anything  for  the 
general  creditors." 

"  How  nice !  And  what  if  the  customer's  col- 
lateral sells  for  less  than  his  debit  balance  ?  " 

"  Then  the  Receiver  will  request  him  to  come  up 
with  the  difference." 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  157 

"  Moral — keep  low  margins  at  your  broker's !  " 
laughed  Wilberforce.  He  caught  sight  of  Landor, 
at  the  window  above  him.  "  Hello,  Landor ! "  he 
cried,  "  did  you  hear?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Landor,  leaning  out,  "  I  heard. — 
Will  it  be  as  bad  as  you  predict,  Burgoyne?  " 

"  Just  about.     I  hope  you're  not  hit." 

Landor  smiled  indifferently.  "  Just  a  trifle, — 
practically  nothing." — He  went  back  to  his  chair. 
"  Just  a  trifle !  .  .  .  .  practically  nothing !  "  he 
laughed  mirthlessly.  "  Every  dollar  I  own — and  a 
pile  I  don't  own.  Spreader's  out,  and  Receivers 

don't  hold  off  and  carry  debit  balances It  is 

bars  and  bankruptcy  for  me,  too." 

He  drew  out  the  letter,  and  went  over  the  calcula- 
tion again.  Then  in  a  sudden  gust  of  rage,  he  tore 
it  into  bits  and  flung  them  on  the  floor.  Straight- 
way, the  rage  passed. 

"  Come,  come,  Landor !  "  he  said :  "  you're  play- 
ing the  child — you're  losing  your  nerve. — No  one  is 
an  embezzler  until  found  out.  You're  busted,  all 
right,  but  you're  not  in  jail — yet.  Get  the  money 
somewhere — borrow  it — win  it — steal  it — get  it — 
get  it!  " 

He  filled  a  pipe  and  tramped  up  and  down,  blow- 
ing great  clouds  of  smoke  ceilingward.  Fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  was  necessary,  (the  proceeds,  of  a  bond 
sale  which  he  had  "  borrowed "  and  used  with 
Spreader  and  Hepson  for  additional  margin,  report- 
ing to  his  Company  that  the  customer  had  not  yet 


158         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

lifted  them)  and  Northumberland  was  hard  hit 
lately. 

What,  in  the  recent  flush  times,  would  have  been 
a  rather  easy  matter  to  arrange  with  his  friends  on 
simple  notes  of  hand,  was  now  a  proceeding  of  high 
finance:  they  needed  all  their  cash; — everyone  in 
Northumberland  needed  cash,  and  got  it,  if  possible 
— even  old  friendships  didn't  go  for  much  there  in 
panic  times.  So  what  chance  had  he !  He  ran 
over  the  names  thoughtfully,  and  shook  his  head. 
It  was  quite  hopeless. — Nevertheless,  the  money 
must  be  got. 

Suddenly,  Hilda  Gordon's  merry  laugh  came  from 
the  garden.  Landor  stopped  short.  There,  was  the 
solution!  The  girl  was  independently  and  abun- 
dantly rich — as  her  fiance,  it  would  be  easy  to 
obtain  the  necessary  credit.  For  months  they  had 
been  having  a  rather  desperate  flirtation;  now  it 
would  be  to  get  serious.  He  could  have  married 
her  long  ago  had  he  wished — of  that  he  had  no 
doubt ;  if  she  did  not  love  him,  she  was  entirely  ready 
to  love  him.  Whether  he  should  actually  marry 
her,  was  another  question — to  be  considered  and  de- 
termined later;  for  his  present  purpose,  the  be- 
trothal would  be  quite  sufficient. 

He  laughed  softly,  knocked  the  ashes  from  the 
pipe,  and  prepared  to  descend.  He  might  as  well 
proceed  at  once  to  business.  Then  he  chanced  to 
glance  out  of  the  side-window,  and  he  paused, 
frowning.  Mrs.  Gascoyne  was  driving  up  the  ave- 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  159 

nue  toward  The  Oaks Could  she  interfere? 

....  If  she  did — the  smile  came  again — she  would 
have  admitted  her  identity,  and  he  could  extort  from 
her  money  enough  to  pay  all  his  debts  and  losses, 
and  something  more.  In  either  event,  he  stood  to 
win,  the  woman  to  lose.  Which  was  as  it  should  be ! 

And  then  there  was  another  way — a  quicker  way. 
He  would  put  doubt  aside,  hold  to  his  recognition, 
and  entrap  or  drive  her  to  admission.  She  would 
be  glad  to  buy  silence  for  cash.  Yet  he  knew  that 
here  he  dared  not  blunder — dared  not  accuse  and 
be  mistaken.  If  he  were  to,  the  very  character  of 
the  accusation  would  destroy  him  socially,  and  lose 
him  Hilda  Gordon  and  her  ducats.  It  would  be  no 
such  situation  as  could  be  concluded  by  an  apology, 
and  a  confession  that  he  was  an  egregious  ass.  If 
so,  it  would  be  easy ;  apology  and  confession  are  not 
of  any  consequence  save  to  pride — and  pride  did 
not  befit  one  in  his  dilemma. 

He  tarried  at  the  window,  until  the  carriage 
turned  in  at  The  Oaks,  and  he  saw  Mrs.  Gascoyne 
alight  and  enter  the  house ;  then  with  sudden  resolu- 
tion, he  went  quickly  down.  The  hall  was  deserted ; 
he  hurried  through,  and  out  to  the  front  piazza. 
Here  he  paused ;  after  a  casual  glance  around,  he  lit 
a  cigarette  and  strolled  down  the  avenue,  with  the 
air  of  bored  aimlessness.  He  passed  The  Oaks  a 
little  way,  turned,  and  sauntered  back  to  its  gate, 
hesitated  an  instant,  then  went  in. 

Fortune  favored  him — as  he  mounted  the  steps 


160         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Mrs.  Gascoyne  herself  opened  the  door  and  came 
out.  She  was  speaking  back  into  the  hall,  and  did 
not  see  him.  He  stopped  and  waited — to  surprise 
her  was  luck  beyond  his  wildest  hope. 

And  doubtless  she  would  have  betrayed  herself,  by 
either  voice  or  countenance,  had  not  the  heavy  glass 
panel  of  the  door  flashed  his  reflection  on  her  as 
by  a  mirror.  It  was  her  warning.  She  closed  the 
door  slowly,  and  crossed  the  piazza. 

"  Why,  how-do-you-do,  Mr.  Landor !  "  she  said, 
unruffled  and  smilingly.  "  Won't  you  come  up  ?  " 

He  had  lost  on  the  surprise. 

"  I  took  a  chance  on  your  being  in,"  he  said, 
following  her  into  the  house ;  "  though  you  also 
forbade  my  coming,  yesterday  afternoon." 

He  spoke  casually,  as  a  stranger,  yet  her  high- 
strung  nerves  instantly  detected  the  faint  note  of 
assertiveness,  and  the  change  in  his  attitude. 

"  I  did  not  forbid,"  she  replied :  "  I  only  said  I 
should  not  be  at  home  for  tea.  You  saw  me  return, 
and  came  over  at  once — now,  didn't  you?  " 

"  I  did,"  he  smiled ;  "  because  I  thought  you 
didn't  want  me." 

She  did  not  fall  into  the  trap,  and  ask  why  she 
should  not  want  him. 

"  If  I  had  not  wanted  you,"  with  amused  tolera- 
tion, "  I'd  have  said  so,  instantly." 

"  You  didn't  seem  to  want  me  yesterday,"  he 
persisted. 

"You're  quite  right,  I  didn't !" 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  161 

"  Why  ?  "  he  said,  quickly. 

"  Because  you  were  too  prone  to  cloc,e  up,  and  to 
crowd  at  fences.  No  one  here  will  want  you  if 
you  are  given  to  such  riding." 

Landor  smiled  imperturbably.  "  I  admire  truth 
— even  when  it  is  unflattering." 

"  I  didn't  mean  to  be  either  critical  or  invidious," 
she  answered  with  delicious  insouciance.  "  It  may 
be  the  way  they  ride  in  Northumberland,  and  it  may 
be  the  better  way — but,  you  see,  it's  not  our  way." 

"  I  am  not  in  the  least  sensitive,"  he  said ; — "  on 
the  contrary,  I  am  flattered  that  you  should  have 
noticed  my  riding." 

"  You  needn't  be !  "  she  laughed.  "  I  wasn't 
noticing  your  riding ;  I  was  watching  to  see  you  kill 
someone. — By  the  bye,  why  did  you  change  horses 
during  the  check?  " 

He  looked  at  her  curiously. 

"  I  didn't  change  horses,"  he  said — "  at  least,  not 
to  my  knowledge." 

"  You  rode  a  sorrel,  when  you  j  oined  me ;  didn't 
you  have  a  bay,  at  the  start  ?  " 

"  It  was  the  same  horse, — possibly,  he  bleached 
out  in  the  run." 

"  And  you  were  not  on  a  bay,  at  first  ?  "  she  per- 
sisted  "  No ! — then  I  took  someone  else  for 

you — doubtless,  because  I  had  never  seen  you  but 
once,  and  then  you  were  in  evening  dress;  riding 
togs  change  a  man  vastly. — I  shouldn't  have  been  so 
shy  of  you,  had  I  known." 
11 


162         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Then  I  may  hope  for  better  luck  next  time?  " 
he  asked  quickly. 

"  Hope !  surely — every  one  may  hope !  "  she 
laughed ;  "  but  it  never  won  a  place  at  a  fox  chase." 

She  was  beginning  to  enjoy  the  situation — first, 
to  accuse  him  of  the  gravest  fault  of  the  hunting 
field  (when,  in  fact,  he  hung  an  unusually  good 
boot),  and  then  to  dismiss  it  indifferently,  as  a  very 
natural  mistake  of  a  brief  acquaintance.  The  whole 
thing  was  imaginary,  of  course ;  she  knew  he  had  not 
changed  horses,  nor  had  she  laid  eyes  on  him  from 
start  to  check.  It  was  a  bit  hazardous  to  bring  up 
the  matter  of  identity,  but  she  chanced  it  because 
it  was  emphatic  of  her  attitude  that  they  were 
strangers,  meeting  yesterday  for  the  first  time. 

And  she  was  successful,  to  the  extent  of  making 
him  cautious,  and  setting  him  struggling  again 
against  the  doubt  he  had  determined  should  be  put 
aside.  It  was  all  very  well,  in  the  abstract,  to 
assume  that  she  was  playing  a  part,  and  to  interpret 
her  every  word  and  act,  on  that  hypothesis ;  but  he 
was  finding  it  very  difficult  to  practise,  when  di- 
rectly under  the  influence  of  those  words  and  acts. 
Then  he  thought  of  the  broker's  letter,  and  it 
drove  him  on.  He  straightened  his  shoulders,  as 
though  throwing  off  a  detaining  hand,  and  went 
back  to  the  opening  she  had  given. 

"  It  is  queer,"  he  said,  "  how  a  change  of  dress 
alters  one's  appearance.  I  never  attempt  to  greet 
chance  acquaintances,  unless  I'm  immediately  beside 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  163 

them.  Those  I  have  known  well,  I  never  mistake. 
It  may  be  years  since  I  saw  them,  they  may  have 
changed  greatly,  yet  I  recognize  them  instantly  and 
instinctively." 

"  You  should  have  been  a  detective,  Mr.  Lan- 
dor !  "  Mildred  laughed. 

"  Sometimes  I  think  so,  myself,"  he  replied.  "  I 
should  particularly  enjoy  unmasking  those  who  are 
living  under  false  names." 

"  And  those  living  under  false  reputations — what 
of  them?" 

"  Implying  that  I  should  have  to  be  my  own  first 
victim?  " 

"  Oh,  no !  implying  that  it  would  be  much  more 
profitable  to  society  and  the  body  politic." 

"  You  would  put  the  entire  human  race  in  jail! " 
he  exclaimed. 

"  Well !  "  she  retorted,  pretending  to  smother  a 
yawn,  "  isn't  there  where  most  of  it  ought  to  be?  " 

Landor  ignored  the  hint  to  go,  refused  to  be  led 
farther  afield,  and  put  the  theoretical  aside  with  a 
shrug. 

"  On  the  subject  of  recognitions,"  he  said,  watch- 
ing her  narrowly,  "  I  knew  you  instantly." 

"Yes?"  she  inflected.  "And  how  did  I  ride- 
close  and  crowding,  too?  " 

He  smiled  tolerantly. 

"  I  was  not  referring  to  the  hunt,"  he  said,  "  but 
to  the  other  evening,  when  we  met  in  the  hall,  at 
Fairlawn." 


164         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  I'm  afraid  I  don't  understand,"  she  said,  with 
a  puzzled  frown. 

"  Then  you  don't  remember  me  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head.  "  Would  it  be  very  uncivil 
to  admit  that  I  don't?  When  was  it  that  we  met?  " 

"  Something  more  than  ten  years  ago." 

She  looked  at  him  steadily,  as  though  striving  to 
recollect. 

"  I  was  very  young,  then,"  she  said,  "  but  my 
memory  is  rather  accurate,  and  it  refuses  to  place 
you.  Where  did  we  meet  ?  " 

"  In  Vienna — the  last  time." 

"  The  last  time ! — then,  we  have  met  more  than 
once?  " 

He  leaned  back  in  the  chair,  and  smiled  blandly. 

"  Many  times,  many  times  !  " 

Her  look  of  amused  incredulity  broadened  into  a 
merry  laugh. 

"  Of  course,  you  are  not  serious ! "  she  said. 

"  I  never  was  more  so." 

"  Why,  Mr.  Landor,  how  absurd ! " — a  faint 
frown  coming — ."  Because  I  may  now  resemble  a 
young  girl  you  knew  ten  years  ago — and  have  not 
seen  since — does  not  signify  that  I  am  she !  Doubt- 
less, ten  years  ago,  I  didn't  resemble  her  in  the 
least,  just  as  to-day,  probably,  she  does  not  re- 
semble me." 

"  Recognition  isn't  always  a  matter  of  face  and 
figure,"  he  replied.  "  In  fact,  in  both  of  them  you 
have  altered  radically,  since  I  saw  you  last.  For 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  165 

instance:   then,   your   hair   was   black,   blue-black; 
now, — 

"  It  is  red !  "  she  filled  in.  "  I  don't  know  why  I 
should  argue  over  anything  so  silly,  except  it 
is  rather  novel  to  be  told,  that  ten.  years  ago  I  was 
some  one  else.  Now,  however,  are  you  not  proving 
yourself  out  of  court?  My  hair  is  my  own,  grown 
right  where  you  see  it,  not  bought ;  and  it  is  not 
dyed,  either." 

Her  fingers  swept  swiftly  over  it,  and  with  a  toss 
the  shining  mass  slipped  down  and  wrapped  around 
her. 

"  You    are   privileged   to   examine,"    she   said- 
switching  on  the  light,  and  standing  directly  under 
the  brilliant  chandelier.     "  Look  close  to  the  head 
for  evidence  of  dye." 

Landor  stepped  back  out  of  near  distance,  and 
bowed. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Gascoyne ! "  he  exclaimed,  "  I 
question  neither  the  genuineness  of  your  hair  nor  its 
color — on  the  contrary,  my  compliments  upon  them 
both  and  their  amazing  beauty." 

She  caught  the  hair,  twisted  it  into  a  great  coil  on 
top  of  her  head,  and  pinned  it  tight. 

"  In  what  other  particular  am  I  altered  ?  "  she 
asked. 

"  In  your  voice  tones — they  were  light  and  bril- 
liant, now  they  are  soft  and  low." 

"  Their  genuineness,  however,  demands  no  special 
proof,  I  presume?  " 


166         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  None — none  whatever !  " 

She  laughed,  with  just  a  suggestion  of  mockery. 

"  Out  of  court ! "  she  exclaimed. 

"  Not  at  all ! — the  other  evidence  preponderates. 
And  this  can  be  explained." 

"Explain  it!" 

"  /  cannot — maybe  you  can — some  one  can." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  I  suppose  '  the  other  evidence  that  preponder- 
ates '  is  your  intuitive  recognition?  " 

"  Not  entirely ;  your  eyes — an/i  features — and 
expression — and  certain  tricks  of  manner — all  are 
corroborative  of  your  identity." 

She  drew  over  a  chair  and  sat  on  the  arm,  one 
foot  swinging  in  coquetry  with  her  skirts. 

"  This  is  interesting !  "  she*  laughed.  "  Per- 
chance I  may  be  permitted  to  know  who  I  really 
am." 

She  said  it  lightly,  as  though  in  gentle  raillery, 
yet,  in  truth,  a  perfect  horror  of  fear  was  upon 
her.  Would  he  accept  the  challenge,  or  would  he 
evade !  It  was  the  test  of  her  acting,  of  her  ability 
to  play  up  to  the  part.  Also,  it  was  the  trial  of  his 
assurance;  if  he  weakened,  now,  he  would  never  be 
so  confident  again. 

For  a  space,  the  issue  was  in  doubt.  He  stared 
at  her  with  the  cold  eye  of  thought;  she  smiled 
suavely  up  at  him,  though  her  foot  swung  a  shade 
more  rapidly.  Suddenly  his  expression  changed; 
and  she  knew  that  her  bluff  had  won. 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  167 

"  Why  mention  names  unnecessarily  ?  "  he  asked. 
"  If  I  am  right,  you  know  who  you  are ;  if  I  am 
mistaken,  then  it  is  of  no  consequence  who  I  thought 
you  were." 

And  now  she  crowded  him. 

"  Of  no  consequence,  certainly,  right  or  wrong," 
she  answered ;  "  but  it  is  natural,  surely,  to  ask 
who  one's  double  is." 

He  slipped  away. 

"  Was !  "  he  corrected.  "  It  is  ten  years  since  I 
saw  her.  She  may  be  dead — and,  de  mortuis  nil, 
you  know." 

"  Ainsi  soit-il!  "  she  returned,  with  affected  so- 
lemnity, raising  her  hand  as  in  benediction.  "  Quelle 
repose  en  paix!  " 

"  Soit-il!  "  he  intoned. 

It  chimed  exactly  with  his  purpose  to  appear  as 
though  rather  convinced  of  his  mistake.  He  was 
not  convinced ;  he  was  only  discomfited  temporarily ; 
but  before  venturing  to  renew  the  attack,  he  needed 
more  effective  ammunition  than  intuitive  recogni- 
tion and  minor  physical  resemblances.  If  he  could 
but  have  a  look  through  the  house — particularly  in 
her  private  apartment !  His  eyes  had  been  sharply 
searching  the  drawing-room.  The  only  thing  in  it, 
that  suggested  even  possible  results,  was  the 
crystal  cabinet  in  the  far  rear-corner,  but  the  reflec- 
tions on  the  glass  obscured  the  interior.  He  was 
about  to  go  over  to  it,  when  the  sad-faced,  droopy- 
eyed  butler  appeared  noiselessly  in  the  doorway. 


168         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  What  is  it?  "  said  Mrs.  Gascoyne. 

"  The  telephone,  madame ! "  was  the  monotone. 

The  man  wheeled  aside,  fingers  at  trouser  seams, 
until  Mrs.  Gascoyne  had  passed;  then,  for  just  a 
second  as  he  turned  to  follow,  the  low  lids  lifted, 
and  the  shrewd,  small  eyes,  swept  over  Landor  with 
a  snaky  glitter,  as  he  crossed  to  the  cabinet. 

It  was  one  of  the  gold-frame,  plate-glass,  Louis 
Quinze  imitations,  that,  at  one  period,  were  an  abso- 
lutely indispensable  ornament  to  all  well-ordered 
drawing-rooms — and  wherein  were  displayed,  usu- 
ally, a  lot  of  commonplace  bijoutry  and  baubles, 
ranging  from  a  sea-shell  of  the  Jersey  Coast  to  a 
fake  intaglio  from  Milan,  or  a  bit  of  imitation  jade 
from  India. 

Mrs.  Gascoyne,  however,  had  made  a  clean  sweep 
of  the  gew-gaws,  which  were  resting  now  in  security 
of  a  safe-deposit  vault.  In  their  place,  were  a 
dozen  beautiful  French  and  Italian  old  fans,  carved 
and  painted  and  decorated  as  only  the  masters  of 
that  now  lost  art,  could  do.  All  were  exquisitely 
beautiful ;  every  one  an  exponent  of  its  type ;  some 
had  belonged  to  famous  women  of  Valois  and  Bour- 
bon days;  all  had  caressed  fair  cheeks,  touched  red 
lips,  been  flirted  over,  listened  to  love  tones  and 
vows,  and  joined  in  cold  dismissals. 

But  their  charms  were  lost  upon  Landor.  To 
him,  a  fan  was  a  fan — so  much  wood  or  silk  or  bone 
which  could  be  put  to  better  use.  He  knew  nothing 
of  the  Fan;  its  antiquity  and  its  styles,  nor 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  169 

of  the  part  it  had  played  in  the  dramas  and  the 
comedies  of  courts  and  diplomacy. 

So  he  passed  them  over  for  the  other  things  on 
the  glass  shelves : — bits  of  old  English-silver, 
cameos,  scarabs,  ivories,  mosaics.  These  he  exam- 
ined, piece  by  piece.  He  was  searching  for  some- 
thing that  could  aid  him — something  that  he  should 

recognize  as  having  been  hers  ten  years  ago 

He  frowned  as  he  went  swiftly  yet  carefully  over 
them  and  found  nothing.  The  minutes  passed  rap- 
idly ;  it  did  not  occur  to  him  how  long  Mrs.  Gascoyne 
had  been  absent — he  was  only  fearful  lest  she  come 

before  he  had  done  with  the  cabinet Ah ! — 

Ah! — was  it  possible! — Down  on  the  lowest  shelf, 
back  in  the  shadow  of  a  quaint  little  fan  of  ivory 
and  silk,  lay  a  small  odd-shaped  object — a  narrow 
silver  cone,  the  apex  curled  over  on  the  side,  the 
base,  a  hinged  top  set  with  a  large  Scotch-pebble, 
deep  pink  and  full  of  fire.  It  was  the  snuff-box 
of  a  Highland  Chief, — or  the  mate  of  it — that  he 
had  seen  many  times,  in  the  hands  of  the  woman-in- 
question ;  for  it  was  then,  fashion  again  had  decreed, 
that  comfits  must  be  carried. 

If  he  could  have  it  into  his  hands  to  examine,  he 
would  know. — He  tried  the  door — it  was  locked,  and 
the  key  not  in  it.  With  a  muttered  curse,  he 
dropped  on  one  knee  beside  the  cabinet  to  get  as 
close  as  possible.  Then  the  sudden  thud,  of  some  one 
bounding  up  the  piazza  steps,  brought  him  instantly 
to  his  feet  and  a  fresh  oath  to  his  lips.  He  was 


170         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

up,  looking  idly  out  of  the  nearby  window,  when 
the  droopy-eyed  man-servant  shot  in  at  him  a  side- 
long glance,  as  he  passed  to  the  front  door. 

"  Is  Mr.  Landor  here  ? "  it  was  Harwood's 
voice. — "  In  the  drawing-room! — Oh,  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne,  how-do-you-do  !  "  (Landor  could  not  see  her 
look  of  glad  welcome,  nor  know  the  grateful  pressure 
of  those  slender  fingers. )  "I'm  so  sorry  to  take  your 
visitor  away,  but  will  you  excuse  him  ? — Landor,  old 
man,  I'm  called  this  minute  to  the-  town  on  business 
— important  Long  Distance — haven't  got  it  in  the 
house,  it  seems,  only  the  local  lines.  I'm  hundreds 
ahead  at  a  little  game  that  all  the  men  are  in;  I 
don't  want  to  drop  out ;  won't  you  go  over,  and  play 
my  hand  and  chips  until  I  get  back? — You  under- 
stand, Mrs.  Gascoyne 

"  Or  course  I  do!"  she  laughed.  "Go,  by  all 
means,  Mr.  Landor !  " 

Whatever  may  have  been  Lander's  irritation,  he 
hid  it  behind  an  impassive  face. 

"  I'll  go !  "  he  said,  with  a  gracious  smile ;  "  but 
I  think  my  dear  host  "  (laying  his  hand  intimately 
on  Harwood's  shoulder)  "  is  only  trying  to  displace 
me." 

"  No !  no !  if  you  think  so,  wait  until  the  machine 
comes;  it  will  pick  me  up  here;  I  didn't  delay  for 
it." 

"  Oh,  nonsense !  of  course  I'll  go.  Good  after- 
noon, Mrs.  Gascoyne !  "  obliging  her  to  give  him  her 
hand;  and  noting  with  satisfaction  that  it  was  un- 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  171 

duly  cold. — "  Oh,  may  I  wait  just  a  second — long 
enough,  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  to  have  a  look  at  that 
queer,  silver  snuff-box  in  the  cabinet  yonder?  You 
see,  I  was  spying  around  while  you  were  out." 

His  eyes  were  hard  on  hers,  and  this  time  he 
caught  a  flash  of  surprise — but  no  glint  of  alarm 
or  fear. 

"  Surely  !  "  she  replied — "  why  didn't  you  take 
it  out  ?  " 

Y  I  might  have — had  the  cabinet  not  been  locked." 

"  The  key  is  in  the  door." 

"  No,  it  isn't !  "  said  Landor. 

"  Then  it  is  on  the  floor.  Come ! — Oh,  I'm  stupid. 
It  was  trod  on  yesterday  and  broken ;  a  new  one  is 
being  made.  I'll  try  to  have  it  here  when  you  come 
again." 

"  Please  don't  trouble,"  Landor  answered ;  "  I'm 
deeply  mortified  that  I  mentioned  the  box — but  it 
is  so  like  one  I  used  to  see  frequently,  that  I  wanted 
to  compare  them.  I'm  sure  they  were  made  by  the 
same  smith."  He  took  her  hand  again — it  was 
warm  now,  too  warm.  "  Good-by  !  "  he  said,  bowing 
over  it. 

The  droopy-eyed  butler  closed  the  door  softly 
behind  him,  glanced  covertly  at  the  pair  in  the  draw- 
ing-room, and  passed  silently  down  the  hall  and 
to  the  rear. 

Instantly,  Mildred  sprang  to  the  front  window; 
Landor  was  swinging  rapidly  down  the  walk.  She 
turned  impulsively  to  Harwood;  and  never  had  he 


172         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

thought  to  see  for  him,  on  any  woman's  face,  such 
a  look  of  supreme  gratitude  and  delight. 

"  How  can  I  ever  thank  you ! "  she  cried. 

Suddenly  her  soft  arms  slipped  around  his  neck, 
and  she  kissed  him  lightly  on  the  lips;  then  she 
sprang  back,  her  face  scarlet  with  embarrassment. 

Harwood  had  made  no  effort  to  hold  her,  nor 
even  to  return  her  kiss.  Now  he  went  to  her  and 
took  her  hand. 

"  I  am  thanked !  "  he  said,  and  his  voice  was  very 
low ;  "  thanked  beyond  the  power  of  any  other 
woman  in  the  world." 

For  just  the  briefest  interval,  these  two  stood  at 
gaze;  then  the  lovely  face  went  scarlet  again,  the 
long  lashes  veiled  their  eyes,  and  she  put  out  her 
hand,  as  though  to  ward  him  off. 

"  You  were  good  to  come !  "  she  said  nervously. — 
"  There  is  your  car ! — you  can  hurry  to  your  busi- 
ness now — don't  let  me  keep  you  another  instant !  " 

He  laughed  gayly,  almost  joyously. 

"  Business !  you  know  I  had  no  business  in  Eger- 
ton,  nor  anywhere  but  here — in  answer  to  your  call. 
The  car  is  a  bluff  for  Landor;  it  was  not  to  leave 
the  Hall  until  he  had  passed  your  gates.  In  fact, 
everything  was  a  bluff  but  the  game;  it,  thank  the 
Lord,  is  true! — it  was  the  key  of  the  whole  play." 

"You  did  it  beautifully !— beautifully.  Yet  I 
shouldn't  have  telephoned  you — I  shouldn't  have 
tangled  you  in  my  troubles.  I  have  no  right 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  173 

"  Are  you  quite  sure  of  that  ?  "  he  broke  in — 
"  quite  sure,  you  have  no  right?  " 

Again  the  lashes  fluttered  and  dropped,  and  the 
warding  hand  went  out. 

"  Quite  sure !  "  she  answered,  slowly,  almost  dis- 
piritedly— "  quite  sure !  .  .  .  .  He  came  upon  me 
suddenly !  I  had  no  escape.  I  controlled  myself, 
until  I  was  called  out — when  I  tried  to  return  I 
weakened — I  couldn't  drive  myself  back.  My  only 
thought  was  to  get  rid  of  him — or  to  get  some  one 
here. — The  telephone  suggested  a  way,  and  you 
were  nearest.  Then  I  waited  until  I  heard  your 
voice  at  the  door.  Never  again !  never !  shall  I  be  so 
glad  to  see  anyone !  " 

Weak  with  the  reaction  from  the  strain,  she  had 
dropped  on  a  chair,  and  did  not  seem  to  realize  that 
Harwood  was  standing  over  her,  one  hand  holding 
hers,  the  other  lightly  stroking  with  its  finger  tips 
her  glorious  hair. 

"  Shall  I  pack  him  off?  "  he  asked.  "  He  shall 
go  in  the  morning,  if  you  wish." 

She  gently  freed  her  hand,  shaking  her  head  at 
him  reprovingly,  and  then  denying  it  with  her  inti- 
mate little  smile. 

"  No,"  she  said,  "  let  him  stay.  It  could  only 
postpone  matters  a  little  while ;  he  would  come  back 
to  Egerton,  or  follow  me  about  if  I  went  away ;  so 
the  quicker  we  fight  it  out  the  better." 

"  Then  at  Fairlawn  he  stays,  so  long  as  I  can 
hold  him ! " 


174         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  You  arc  good,  m'sieur — quite  too  good !  But 
I  fear  that  you  risk  too  much ;  if  I  lose,  there  may 
be  scandal — there  may  be  scandal,  anyway." 

"  Scandal ! "  he  laughed.  "  Do  you  fancy  I 
should  care  for  such  scandal  as  you  could  be  in — 
or  any  scandal  that  touched  you  ?  " 

She  thanked  him  with  a  look  of  entire  trust,  and 
arose. 

"  That  miserable  snuff-box !  "  she  exclaimed,  as 
her  glance  fell  on  the  cabinet.  "  The  one  thing  in 
this  room  that  man  should  not  have  seen !  You 
observed  how  quickly  he  used  your  presence  to  force 
me  to  let  him  examine  it." 

"  Yes,"  said  Harwood,  "  and  how  he  failed.  But, 
if  you  wish  him  not  to  see  it,  I  advise  that  you 
forget  to  obtain  the  key." 

She  smiled  rather  sadly. 

"  I  seem  to  have  played  it  fairly  well,"  she  re- 
marked. "  The  key  isn't  broken ;  it  is  upstairs  in 
my  jewel-box — the  fans  and  trinkets  are  too  valu- 
able to  be  fingered  by  servants.  But  I  hate  to  lie." 

"  It  is  only  a  lie  to  deceive  maliciously,"  he  re- 
plied, moving  toward  the  hall.  "  Any  one  is  a  fool 
to  answer  truthfully  either  impertinent  questions, 
or  questions  intended  to  one's  harm — and  this 
applies  to  actions,  too." 

"  You're  so  satisfactory,  m'sieur !  "  she  exclaimed, 
pausing  just  inside  the  drawing-room  door  and 
giving  him  her  hand.  "  Your  philosophy  is  delight- 
ful— and  your  magnanimity! — I  believe  that  you 


THE  SNUFF-BOX  175 

have  not  even  wondered  why  I  hate  and  fear  Henry 
Landor." 

"  Then  it  wasn't  only  because  I  was  nearest  that 
you  thought  of  me?  "  he  demanded,  drawing  her 
slowly  toward  him. 

She  struggled  faintly. 

"  Don't !  please,  don't !  "  she  said  brokenly,  as 
his  arms  went  around  her,  and  held  her  close. 

"  Tell  me,  sweetheart !  "  he  whispered,  "  was  it 
for  any  of  those  reasons  that  you  wanted  me?  " 

She  stood  quite  still,  gleaming  hair  against  his 
arm  and  shoulder,  fair  face  upturned  to  his. 

"  No !  "  she  said,  smiling  at  him,  with  eyes  in 
which  he  read  full  confession.  "  No !  it  was  not." 

She  met  his  kiss  in  honest  lover-fashion;  then 
slipped  swiftly  from  his  arms ; — and  when,  sur- 
prised, he  followed  and  would  have  had  her  back,  she 
slipped  away  once  more. 

"  Never  again,  m'sieur !  "  she  said, — and  the  very 
sorrow  in  her  voice  stayed  him.  "  I  have  told  you 
truth  because  I  love  you,  but  there  is  no  dream  of 
marrying  for  us  two.  From  this  moment,  forget 
all  that  has  passed  between  us  here. — Do  not,  I  pray 
you,  dear !  oh,  do  not !  make  it  any  harder  for  me 
than  it  is.  Trust  me!  trust  me,  sweetheart,  when 
I  say  it  cannot  be." 

Harwood  took  the  hands  she  held  out  impulsively 
to  him. 

"  Do  you  think,"  said  he,  with  the  calm  assur- 
ance of  the  man  who  always  gets  his  way,  **  that  now, 


176        THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

after  waiting  for  you  all  these  years,  I  shall  let  you 

go?" 

She  shook  her  head  hopelessly,  though  she  loved 
his  words,  and  the  will  behind  them. 

"  It  is  useless,  dear,"  she  said,  "  quite  useless ! 
there  is  no  hope. — Go  now,  please — the  tears  are 
coming,  and  I  want  to  be  alone." 

He  bent  and  kissed  the  glorious  hair. 

"  Until  to-morrow !  "  he  answered — and  went 
quickly  from  the  room. 


XI 

CONCERNING   HAIR   AND    HOUSEBREAKING 

PUZZLED  and  thoughtful,  Landor  went  slowly 
back  to  the  Hall.  Harwood's  arrival  had  been  so 
amazingly  opportune  as  almost  to  suggest  pre- 
arrangement;  yet  it  was  rather  beyond  belief  that 
Mrs.  Gascoyne  would  venture  to  confide  in  a 
stranger.  Moreover,  the  advantage  had  been 
wholly  with  her  until  he  found  the  snuff-box,  and, 
then,  Harwood  was  already  at  the  piazza  steps.  Of 
course,  she  might  have  telephoned  to  him,  but  in  that 
case,  from  the  manner  of  his  entrance,  the  message 
must  have  been  to  come  over  and  take  his  guest 
away — which  was  scarcely  probable.  Yet,  even  if 
she  had  made  such  request,  it  was  of  small  conse- 
quence, beyond  possibly  putting  him  in  bad  odor 
with  his  host. 

He  had  not  the  least  doubt  now  of  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne's  real  identity,  the  snuff-box  had  settled  it, 
and  also  had  determined  him  in  his  purpose.  To- 
morrow afternoon  he  would  ask  to  see  it ;  for  her  to 
refuse  or  to  temporize  was  tantamount  to  confes- 
sion ;  and  even  if  she  were  to  continue  the  bluff  and 
show  the  box,  there  were  certain  marks  on  the 
inside  of  the  lid  that  would  confound  her — though 
it  were  quite  possible,  if  they  had  not  been  removed 
12  177 


178         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

long  ago,  she  would  now,  in  precaution,  have  every 
scratch  rubbed  out.  However,  if  the  box  were  to 
be  in  its  place  by  to-morrow  afternoon,  she  would 
have  only  a  few  hours  for  the  doing — and  silver- 
smiths, even  in  small  towns,  were,  he  knew,  not  given 
to  finishing  a  job  promptly,  or  when  promised.  As 
for  the  tale  of  the  broken  key,  he  simply  did  not 
believe  it. 

As  he  reached  Fairlawn,  the  car  whirled  out 
and  down  the  avenue  toward  The  Oaks,  and  he 
paused  until  he  saw  it  swing  into  the  driveway.  In 
the  hall,  William  met  him  with  a  telegram. 

"  It  was  delivered  just  a  few  minutes  ago,  sir," 
he  said. — "  The  gentlemen  are  in  the  billiard-room." 

Landor  nodded,  and  read  the  wire  as  he  de- 
scended. It  was  from  his  Firm,  and  very  much 
to  the  point: — 

"  Remit  instantly  proceeds  of  Hampton  bonds.  Why 
such  delay?" 

"  Oh,  go  to  the  devil !  "  he  muttered,  and  tore  the 
yellow  sheet  into  tiny  fragments. 

He  took  Harwood's  place  at  the  table,  counted 
the  chips  stacked  there,  and  had  Burgoyne  verify 
it.  The  game  was  a  pretty  stiff  one,  he  quickly 
perceived ;  for  while  the  limit  was  moderate  enough, 
it  was  lifted  after  the  draw,  if  any  one  so  requested. 
The  luck  that  had  been  with  Harwood,  clung  even 
more  persistently  to  him.  After  the  first  hand,  he 
put  aside  the  other's  chips,  and  played  thereafter  on 


HAIR  AND  HOUSEBREAKING        179 

velvet — except  once,  when  he  borrowed  all  the  blues, 
and  made  the  big  kill  of  the  evening. 

Harwood  came  in,  just  as  the  dressing-bell 
sounded  and  the  game  ended. 

"  Well,  Lander,  do  I  owe  you  anything?  "  he 
asked. 

"  Not  exactly !  "  was  the  reply,  and  the  others 
laughed ;  "  the  chips  you  left  for  me  are  yonder,  on 
the  billiard-table — here,  are  a  few  more,"  indicating 
the  big  pile  before  him,  "  I  managed  to  accumulate 
for  you." 

"  For  me  !  "  Harwood  laughed.  "  Well  I  reckon 
not — I'll  keep  my  winnings,  and  you'll  keep  yours. 
Thunder,  man,  between  us  we've  not  left  them 
enough  for  penny -bridge !  It's  like  stealing  from 
children." 

Landor  pushed  the  chips  into  the  centre  of  the 
table,  among  the  scattered  cards,  and  got  up.  He 
wanted  the  money;  he  needed  it,  heaven  knew;  but 
the  wise  play  was  to  refuse. 

"  Oh,  no !  "  he  said,  quietly.  "  It's  very  nice  in 
you,  old  man,  but  I  was  playing  your  hand  and 
your  money.  I'm  only  glad  I  didn't  lose." 

"  Well,  we  will  compromise,"  said  Colleton,  see- 
ing that  the  other  would  not  recede ;  "  each  shall 
take  half,  or  we  will  give  it  all  to  charity — which 
shall  it  be?" 

"  Charity,  of  course ! " 

"  Oh,  hell !  "  Wilberforce  broke  out,  "  why  throw 
away  good  money!  besides,  it's  tainted,  no  charity 


180         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

would  venture  to  accept  it.     Act  like  a  pair  of  sen- 
sible human  beings — divide." 

"  That  settles  it !  "  said  Harwood.  "  We  never 
appeal  from  Tony's  decision  on  a  card  question." 

And  Landor,  with  just  the  proper  show  of 
reluctance,  acquiesced  and  took  his  share  of  the 
winnings — enough,  with  reasonable  economy,  to 
support  him  many  months,  should  he  be  obliged  to 
seek  refuge  where  the  writ  of  extradition  did  not 
run. 

But  he  had  no  wish  to  become  a  fugitive  from 
justice,  slinking  to  some  opera-bouffe  country, 
there  to  mark  time,  until  the  very  horror  of  the 
suspense,  the  blackmail,  the  fear  of  betrayal,  were  to 
send  him  back  to  seek  relief  and  freedom  through 
trial  and  legal  punishment.  He  could  face  with 
equanimity  the  loss  of  his  small  capital  and  the 
prospect  of  bankruptcy,  and  even  the  lock-step  and 
the  stripes  were  not  so  fearful,  when  in  the  distance; 
but  now  the  distance  was  cut  out,  and  they  were 
looming  right  in  front  of  him.  He  had  counted 
on  at  least  a  week  before  the  Firm  would  become 
suspicious,  and  in  that  time  he  could  easily  have 
either  forced  the  money  from  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  or 
won  the  Gordon  girl.  Now,  it  was  likely  a  mat- 
ter of  two  days,  and  the  quickest  road  to  redemption 
lay  by  way  of  The  Oaks. 

As  he  dressed,  he  went  over  the  situation  care- 
fully. The  chance  of  being  mistaken  in  the  snuff- 
box was  too  infinitesimal  for  consideration;  even 


HAIR  AND  HOUSEBREAKING        181 

that  a  mate  existed  was  unlikely  enough,  but  that 
it  should  be  in  the  possession  of  one  who  was  a 
double  of  the  other  woman,  was  simply  incredible. 
Yet,  in  a  game  against  time,  there  must  be  no 
ground  for  question  nor  delay ;  Mrs.  Gascoyne's  real 
identity  must  be  established  before  to-morrow  even- 
ing, beyond  her  power  to  refute.  The  snuff-box 
would  do  it.  It  was  a  happy  fortune  that  had 
brought  Harwood  to  The  Oaks.  Harwood  knew 
the  box  had  not  been  taken  from  the  cabinet,  and 
had  heard  him  ask  for  the  latter  to  be  opened, 
only  to  be  put  off  with  the  excuse  of  a  broken 
key.  Consequently  he  could  not  have  seen  the  marks 
on  the  interior  of  the  box.  He  would  write  a  de- 
scription of  them,  and  leave  it  under  seal  with 
Harwood  himself.  Even  Mrs.  Gascoyne's  beauty, 
equivocation,  and  tears,  would  be  unavailing  against 
such  evidence;  though  he  had  little  notion  that  it 
would  be  necessary  to  use  it.  She  would  yield  the 
instant  she  saw  his  proofs ;  she  was  quite  too  sensible 
to  persist  in  the  face  of  sure  exposure.  Of  course, 
there  was  the  possibility  that  she  would  defy  him 
and  refuse  to  buy  his  silence,  but  it  was  too  slender 
to  support  even  a  casual  thought — and  if  she  did, 
there  was  still  another  way  to  coerce  her. 

His  play,  however,  required  absolute  certainty  of 
the  marks  being  in  the  box — he  would  hazard  no 
bluff  with  so  much  to  lose,  if  he  blundered — To 
that  end,  he  must  get  his  hands  on  it  before  to- 
morrow morning.  And  there  were  but  two  ways 


182         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

of  doing  it :  to  bribe  a  servant,  or  to  do  the  burglar 
himself.  The  former  was  not  practicable,  in  so 
short  a  time;  he  knew,  by  sight,  only  the  droopy- 
eyed  butler — and  him,  he  would  not  venture  to  ap- 
proach, without  a  very  much  longer  acquaintance, 
even  though  there  was  something  venal  and  tricky 
in  the  fellow's  smug  face.  It  was  for  him  to  man- 
age alone — to  be  his  own  criminal. 

He  glanced  at  the  clock ;  there  was  still  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  until  dinner.  He  lit  a  cigarette,  and, 
turning  on  the  desk-light,  wrote  on  a  sheet  of  the 
Fairlawn  note-paper  an  exact  description  of  the 
marks  on  the  interior  of  the  snuff-box,  when  he  knew 
it,  ten  years  previous.  This  he  sealed  in  an  envelope, 
put  his  name  on  the  front,  and  went  down  stairs, 
where,  at  his  request,  Harwood  put  it  in  a  locked 
compartment  of  the  safe  in  the  library. 

Lander's  place,  that  evening  at  dinner,  was  beside 
Mrs.  Leicester;  which  gave  him  some  surprise  and 
considerable  gratification,  and  Harwood  consider- 
able amusement  and  some  misgiving. 

It  is  a  woman's  way  to  flatter  a  man  when  she 
wants  to  get  something  out  of  him,  and  her  success 
depends  simply  on  the  method  employed.  Some 
men  are  responsive  only  to  flattery  by  suggestion; 
others  want  it  administered  with  a  club  or  a  fire 
hose:  between  these  extremes  are  an  infinite  number 
of  gradations.  The  whole  art  is  in  picking  the 
proper  grade.  And  in  this  instance,  Evelyn  had 
shown  her  usual  cleverness.  To  Landor,  she  was 


HAIR  AND  HOUSEBREAKING        183 

still,  one  of  the  few  unattainables.  He  had  never 
been  able  to  penetrate  the  barrier  of  courteous  in- 
difference, that  always  barred  his  way.  Now,  she 
herself  had  voluntarily  removed  the  barrier  and  in- 
vited him  within: — he  had  heard  Harwood  tell  her 
at  luncheon,  that  thereafter  the  places  at  table  were 
to  be  arranged  by  her.  That  there  might  be  any 
ulterior  motive,  in  her  sudden  change  of  attitude, 
did  not  even  occur  to  him;  it  was  simply  one  more 
victory  for  courteous  persistence,  and  calm  indif- 
ference to  snubs.  Nor  was  he  any  the  less  pleased, 
when  he  saw  Hilda  Gordon's  dark  eyes  smile 
approvingly ;  he  knew  that  he  had  another  point 
in  his  favor,  when  he  came  to  the  marriage  proposi- 
tion. 

It  was  very  easy  for  Evelyn  to  bring  the  talk 
around  to  yesterday's  meet;  all  she  had  to  do,  was 
keep  off  the  subject,  and  wait  for  Landor;  it  was 
as  certain  as  sunset,  that  he  would  refer  to  her  win- 
ning the  brush.  It  came  about  before  the  entree ; 
and,  presently,  they  were  talking  of  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne — of  her  splendid  riding,  her  rare  beauty,  and 
graciousness,  and  then  of  the  peculiarity,  that  a 
woman  of  her  sort  should  be  living  here. 

"  If  she  were  an  Egertonian,  or  even  of  Egerton 
stock,  it  might  be  understood,"  said  Evelyn ;  "  but 
she  isn't,  you  know;  she  is  a  stranger." 

"  So  I  have  supposed,"  he  answered.  "  She  is 
too  evidently  a  cosmopolite  to  belong  anywhere  in 
particular,  save  en  route" 


184         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  How  very  true !  "  she  exclaimed ;  "  and  don't 
you  know,  I  am  sure  that  years  ago,  somewhere,  I 
saw  her  en  route." 

His  black  eyes  swept  her  face  with  a  flying  glance. 

"  You  could  not  well  mistake,"  he  said ;  "  her 
wonderful  hair,  in  itself,  would  identify  her  beyond 
question." 

Evelyn  repressed  a  smile.  So,  it  was  the  hair 
that  troubled  him ;  possibly,  when  he  had  known  her, 
it  was  not  red. 

"That  is  just  my  difficulty,"  she  replied;  "the 
red  hair  does  not  belong;  yet,  somehow  I  can't  fix 
certainly  the  color  which  fits — it  seems  to  me  that 
it  was  black." 

His  quick  look  at  her  own  hair,  had  given  her  the 
color  as  surely  as  words. 

"  How  do  you  explain  it — dye  ?  "  he  asked.  "  To 
my  unskilled  eyes,  the  hair  is  her  own." 

"  Undoubtedly,  it's  her  own !  The  red  is  gen- 
uine, too,  so  the  black  must  have  been  dye." 

"  When  was  it  that  you  saw  her?  " 

"  Oh — at  least — seven  years  ago,  maybe  more, 
somewhere  in  Europe — Venice  I  think.  As  I  re- 
member, we  were  in  the  same  hotel." 

She  had  made  it  seven  years,  because  some  con- 
siderable period — enough,  at  her  then  age,  to  work 
other  changes  in  appearance — must  have  elapsed 
since  he  had  seen  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  else  he  would  have 
recognized  her  confidently,  regardless  of  the  altered 
hair. 


HAIR  AND  HOUSEBREAKING        185 

"  If  the  dye  were  not  applied  in  seven  years, 
would  it  fade  completely,  and  the  hair  regain  its 
original  color?  "  he  asked. 

"  No ;  the  dyed  portion  would  always  be  radically 
different  in  shade  from  the  new  hair." 

"  Could  the  old  portion  be  re-dyed  to  match, 
exactly,  the  new  ?  " 

"  I  fancy  so,"  she  laughed,  "  but  it  would  require 
great  skill  and  constant  attention  to  maintain; 
though,  as  a  fact,  very  few  women  have  hair  of  one 
constant  shade;  usually,  it  is  lighter  at  the  ends 
than  near  the  head — sometimes,  very  considerably. 
Mrs.  Gascoyne's,  however,  is  one  of  the  few — hers 
seems  to  show  no»  variation ;  it  is  solid,  burnished 
copper." 

"  Could  it  not  be  new — all  of  it?  That  is,  might 
she*  not  have  cut  off  the  dyed  portion  ?  " 

"  Possibly,  not  probably ;  it's  too  long  for  seven 
years ;  yet,  care  and  attention  work  wonders,  and 
some  hair  grows  with  amazing  rapidity.  Ten  years, 
however,  would  be  a  likelier  period — though  I  can't 
think  that  it  was  so  long  ago,  I  saw  her." 

"  Then  it  could  be  all  new  in  ten  years  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  Yes — very  readily !  " 

"  Why  shouldn't  you  ask  her  if  she  remembers 
you  ?  "  with  a  significant  glance  at  the  blue-black 
hair. 

"  That  wouldn't  bother  her — mine  has  always 
been  the  same  color !  "  she  smiled.  "  And  I  may  ask 


186         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

her  sometime,  when  I've  known  her  a  little  longer. 
On  first  acquaintance,  there  is  nothing  quite  so 
wooden  as  resemblances,  or  the  fool  '  haven't  I  seen 
you  before?  '  It  is  a  pity  it  doesn't  always  result 
disastrously." 

"  As  it  did  to  the  clergyman  who  remarked  to  his 
neighbor  in  the  street  car,  that  his  face  was  very 
familiar,  and  got  the  answer,  that  it  was  quite 
likely,  as  he  was  one  of  the  guards  in  the  peni- 
tentiary." 

"  Which  brings  us  to  antiques ! "  she  laughed, 
and  turned  to  answer  a  question  from  Wilberforce, 
called  the  length  of  the  table. 

Thereafter,  during  dinner,  Mrs.  Gascoyne  was 
not  mentioned.  Evelyn  was  well  content  with  the 
results  of  her  first  trial.  Landor  was  more  than 
content  with  this  opportune  information  as  to 
feminine  hair  and  its  dyes.  Nor  was  it  to  his  pur- 
pose, now,  to  discuss  Mrs.  Gascoyne  with  anyone. 

"  Well,  Evelyn ! "  said  Harwood,  later  in  the 
evening,  as  they  stood  alone  for  a  moment  in  the 
hall,  "  what  success? — what  did  you  wheedle  out  of 
him?" 

"  I  don't  like  your  tone,  and  I  don't  like  the  form 
of  your  question  !  "  she  retorted,  airily. 

"  Madame,  I  fear,  does  not  understand,"  he  said, 
with  affected  humility ; — "  my  words  were  but  an 
extremely  polite  way  of  asking,  whether  your 
skilful  finesse  and  brilliant  mind  had  separated 
Landor  from  certain  facts  within  his  knowledge." 


HAIR  AND  HOUSEBREAKING       187 

"  I  shouldn't  ever  have  imagined  it — yet  I'm 
quite  sure  I  prefer  it  to  the  paraphrase.  Yes,  I 
wheedled  something  out  of  him ;  and  I  flatter  myself 
he  doesn't  even  suspect  it.  He  did  recognize  Mrs. 
Gascoyne;  he  knew  her  ten  years  ago — and,  then, 
her  hair  was  black.  To-morrow,  I'll  wheedle  some 
more — here  he  comes  !  Take  me  away ;  I  don't  want 
him  again  this  evening." 

Landor,  however,  was  not  thinking  of  her;  he 
had  other  business,  then,  town-ward.  He  went  on 
out  to  the  avenue,  and  swung  off  at  a  brisk  pace, 
which  slowed  down  sharply  as  he  passed  The  Oaks. 
Housebreaking  not  being  his  avocation,  he  had  not 
looked  the  place  over  with  a  burglarious  eye,  nor 
indeed  with  any  eye.  He  knew  there  was  a  house, 
with  a  front  piazza;  as  to  its  structure  or  appear- 
ance, he  had  not  the  remotest  recollection.  Now, 
he  intended  to  examine  it  with  the  utmost  care  for 
detail. 

But  it  was  full  of  light;  all  the  shades  on  the 
lower  floor  were  up,  and  he  dared  not  venture  nearer 
than  the  hedge.  However,  he  could  see  that  low 
French-windows  opened  on  the  piazza ;  and  this  was 
promising,  they  ought  to  be  easy  to  force. 

A  little  further  on,  he  turned  into  the  gravel  path 
that  led  down  the  hill  and  across  the  flat  to  the 
town.  He  stopped  a  moment  at  the  forks  of  the 
street,  to  look  at  the  bronze  soldier,  that  seemed 
to  be  striving  so  vigorously  to  get  free  from 
the  granite  boulder  on  which  it  stood;  then  he 


188         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

crossed  the  pike,  and  hit  the  brick  sidewalk  at  the 
west  end  of  the  main  town.  And  he  continued  to 
hit  it,  on  an  average  of  three  steps  in  five,  notwith- 
standing, when  he  reached  the  telegraph  office,  a 
third  of  a  mile  further  on,  he  was  lifting  his  feet 
like  a  string-haltered  horse. 

It  was  simply  another  demonstration  of  the 
theory,  now  accepted  generally  by  savants,  that 
the  original  rag-timer  was  a  city  chap  trying,  for 
the  first  time,  to  locomote  over  a  village  sidewalk. 

At  the  office,  Landor  filed  three  messages;  two 
he  had  with  him,  the  third  he  wrote  at  a  narrow 
window,  with  thick,  smeary  ink  and  a  worn-out  pen. 
It  was  to  the  Firm,  and  aimed  for  further  time  and 
a  suspension  of  judgment: — 

"  Draft  for  proceeds  of  bonds  mailed  you  last  Saturday. 
Will  have  matter  investigated  from  Northumberland, 
immediately." 

On  the  return,  to  Fairlawn,  he  stopped  at  a  shop 
for  a  cigar. 

"  You're  one  of  them  out  at  Harwood's,  ain't 
you  ?  "  said  the  persimmon-face  clerk. 

Landor  nodded. 

"  I  saw  you'ns  come.  By  gosh,  but  that's  a 
powerful  high-stepping  lot  of  weemen  with  you !  " 

"  We  brought  that  sort  on  account  of  the  side- 
walks," said  Landor. 

"  I'll  tell  you,  I've  seen  a  mighty  lot  of  weemen 
in  this  here  old  town,  a  doin'  the  battle-field,  you 
know,  gov'ners'  wives  and  daughters,  and  congress- 


HAIR  AND  HOUSEBREAKING        189 

men's  and  ginerals',  and  such  like,  but  there  ain't 
never  been  none  as  could  tetch  these  her'n  of  yours. 
Might  they  all  have  come  from  Northumberland?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Landor,  waiting  for  the  change  from 
the  note,  the  man  still  held  in  his  dirty  fingers. 

"  And  might  any  be  Harwood's  woman?  " 

"What!"  said  Landor,  sharply. — "Oh,  I  see; 
you  mean  his  wife.  No,  none  is  Mr.  Harwood's 
wife — he  isn't  married." 

"  Nor  ain't  going  to  be?  " 

"  My  good  man,  you  must  ask  Mr.  Harwood  such 
intimate,  personal  questions.  I'm  only  a  friend, 
you  know." 

The  sarcasm  was  quite  lost. 

"  Well,  it  'pears  mighty  queer,  that  a  feller  as 
old  as  him,  and  rich,  ain't  had  no  woman  yet — he'll 
need  one  now,  in  that  place  out  yonder.  I  ain't 
never  been  in  it,  but  there  must  be  a  power  of  floors 
to  scrub." 

"  Yes,  there  surely  are  a  power  of  floors  to 
scrub !  "  Landor  laughed.  "  Some  money  coming 
to  me,  I  believe." 

The  man  rang  open  the  drawer,  but  showed  no 
hurry  to  produce  the  coin. 

"  I  say,  Mr. — what  might  your  name  be?  " 

"  Smith  !  "  said  Landor,  curtly. 

"  That's  my  name,  too ; — reckon  we  ain't  no 
kin?" 

"  I'm  quite  sure  we  are  not ! — Give  me  three  more 
of  these  cigars,  and  keep  the  dollar." 


190         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  I  say,  Smith,"  the  native  went  on,  adroitly 
knocking  from  the  box  the  card :  "  25c.  or  5  for 
$1.00,"  and  watching  Landor  choose  three  cigars 
instead  of  four — "  maybe  Harwood  will  hitch  up 
with  the  widder  next  door !  "  and  he  shut  one  eye 
and  grinned.  "  Now,  there's  a  high-stepper,  too ! 
— She's  got  half  the  young  sports  in  town,  and  some 
of  the  old  ones,  dancin'  around  her  like  jumpin'- 
jacks.  I  reckon  you'ns  know'd  her  before  you 
come;"  (his  little  ferret-eyes  drilling  at  Landor) 
"  but  if  you  did,  it's  more  as  we  did.  We  don't 
know  now  who  she  is,  or  where  she  come  from.  No 
one  knows  but  Jim  Casson,  and  he's  her  lawyer; 
and  lawyers,  you  know,  never  do  no  talking  what 
tells.  There  is  them  who  says,  it's  scand'lous 
doin's  for  a  pretty  woman  like  her  to  be  livin*  out 
there  alone,  with  only  another  woman  they  call  her 
'  company,'  and  a  bottler  in  the  house  all  the  time, 
not  to  speak  of  the  hosier,  and  the  other  help." 

"  But,  of  course,  to  such  dirty  scandal,"  said 
Landor,  pausing  in  the  doorway,  "  a  broad-minded 
man  like  you  would  always  answer,  that  you  never 
meddle  in  the  affairs  of  others,  nor  criticise  their 
doings." 

Leaving  the  foul-minded  maligner  staring  at  him 
in  dull-witted  surprise,  he  went  out,  and  resumed 
his  rag-time  walk  toward  Fairlawn. 

In  The  Oaks,  now,  the  lights  were  subdued,  and 
the  shades  were  drawn.  Landor  stopped  at  the 
gate.  He  could  see  the  entire  length  of  the  drive- 


HAIR  AND  HOUSEBREAKING        191 

way,  which  led  straight  to  the  house,  but  the  lawn, 
on  either  side,  was  dark  and  forbidding.  However, 
no  one  of  the  establishment  was  likely  to  be  skulking 
there,  and  after  a  moment's  hesitation  he  went 
cautiously  up  the  path,  a  little  way,  then  turned 
aside  among  the  trees.  Presently,  he  was  under 
the  drawing-room  windows. 

Even  his  inexperienced  eye  saw  that  he  need 
seek  no  further  for  a  place  of  entrance.  The  sash 
were  ill-fitting,  and  so  far  apart  that  the  catch 
could  be  sprung  very  easily  with  a  wire  or  knife. 
However,  he  drew  himself  up  on  the  piazza  and  had 
a  look  at  the  low  French-windows.  They  fastened 
with  bolts  in  the  centre,  and  at  both  top  and  bottom. 
The  side  would  be  the  easier  way  in.  He  slid  quietly 
to  the  ground,  and,  gaining  the  shadow  of  the  trees, 
hurried  back  to  the  gate. 

As  he  neared  Fairlawn,  a  man,  who  was  coming 
down  the  far  side  of  the  avenue,  stopped,  and  peered 
across  at  him. 

"  I  say,  boss ! "  he  called,  coming  over,  "  can't 
you  give  a  bum  the  price  of  a  bunk  for  to-night?  " 

Ordinarily,  Landor  would  have  gone  on,  either  en- 
tirely ignoring  the  fellow,  or  flinging  him  a  bit  of 
silver ;  now,  however,  an  idea  came  to  him  suddenly. 

"  Stop  where  you  are ! "  he  ordered,  sharply. 
"  Let  me  have  a  look  at  you  !  " 

"  Inspection,  parade !  —  'Tention !  "  the  man 
snapped  out,  and  fell  into  position. 

"  You  have  served  in  the  Army  ?  "  Landor  asked. 


192         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  In  the  Imperial  Guard !  " 

"The  what!" 

"  The  Imperial  Guard,  sir,  alias  the  Rough 
Riders,  alias  the  Heroes  of  Hot  Air.  Motto :  '  By 
our  jobs  shall  we  be  known  '  1 " 

"  And  what  has  happened  to  your  office?  "  Lan- 
dor  laughed. 

"  That,  mighty  signor,  is  a  secret  betwixt  me 
Emperor  and  me.  At  present,  I  am  taking  the 
walking  test.  If  you  lend  me  a  five-spot  I  shall 
speak  you  well  to  him." 

"  And  what  should  you  do,  if  I  gave  you  five 
five-spots  ?  " 

"Fall  dead,  sir!" 

"  Well,  I'm  sorry " 

"  I'm  feeling  stronger  now,  sir — I  think  I  can 
survive  the  shock.  What's  to  do — burn  the  bloom- 
in' town?" 

"  No,"  said  Landor ;  "  only  a  little  friendly 
burglaring." 

"  I  pass !  me  for  the  grit !  the  price  for  friendly 
burglaring  is  ten  five-spots  per." 

"  Too  expensive ! "  said  Landor,  turning  away. 

"  One  moment,  my  lord — that's  the  Burglars' 
Union  scale — I'll  cut  it  to  six,  if  you  keep  mum." 

"  Very  well,  six  it  is.  Be  at  the  rear  of  this 
garden  at  two  o'clock.  We  can  pull  off  the  job  in 
ten  minutes." 

"  Is  that  there  the  crib  to  be  cracked  ?  "  twisting 
a  dirty  thumb  toward  Fairlawn. 


HAIR  AND  HOUSEBREAKING       193 

"  No !  that  is  my  house.     My  friend's  is  close  by." 

"  Just  what's  the  job,  monseer?  " 

"  The  job,"  said  Landor,  "  is  to  get  a  small 
article  that  is  in  a  room  on  the  first  floor.  I'll  ex- 
plain exactly,  at  two  o'clock,  and  show  you  where  to 
enter  the  house." 

"  I'll  be  on  hand,  sir. — Couldn't  you  cough  up  a 
dollar,  on  account  ?  " 

"  There's  too  much  booze  in  a  dollar — here's  a 
quarter.  Two  o'clock,  my  man  !  "  and  Landor  went 
on. 

The  tramp  watched  him  until  he  had  entered 
Fairlawn. 

"  It's  queer-shakes — friendly  burglaring !  "  he 
muttered,  turning  toward  the  town ;  "  but  five-spots 
is  scarce  these  days,  and  me  for  them." 


13 


XII 

THE  ROUT  OF  THE  IMPERIAL  GUARD 

FOR  a  long  while  after  Harwood  had  gone,  Mil- 
dred Gascoyne  lay  crumpled  among  the  pillows  of 
the  couch  in  her  boudoir,  whither  she  had  fled  the 
moment  the  door  closed  behind  him. 

Was  Lander's  presence  not  sufficient  misfortune, 
that  she  should  have  provoked  the  cataclysm! — 
What  had  possessed  her  to  yield  to  the  impulse  of 
sudden  and  overpowering  love! — What  right  had 
she  to  love  anyone! — How  was  it,  that  she  should 
have  put  love  aside  contemptuously,  all  these  years, 
only  to  succumb,  now,  almost  upon  sight — and  to 
succumb  so  utterly  as  to  have  no  shame!  She  had 
kissed  him  first ! — she  had  led  all  the  demonstration ! 
— everything!  He  had  done  only  what  courtesy 
obliged! — and,  womanlike,  she  held  to  it;  though 
her  heart  told  her  otherwise,  as  had  his  lips,  and 
arms,  and  the  light  in  his  steady  eyes. 

Why  had  she  been  so  imprudent !  why  had  she  not 
fled  by  the  quickest  train — away  from  Landor,  and 
his  accusing  recognition — away  from  the  Master  of 
Fairlawn — away  from  whatever  threatened  her 
peace  of  mind.  It  was  easy  to  see  the  blunder,  now 
- — now,  that  Harwood  had  .failed  her.  She  had 
counted  on  his  aid,  and  he  himself  had  made  it  im- 
possible. What  right  had  he  to  fall  in  love  with 

194 


THE  ROUT  OF  THE  GUARD         195 

her. — what  reason  had  she  to  anticipate  such  in- 
considerateness !  And  what  mad  folly  had  led  her 
to  fall  in  love  with  him !  It  was  a  shameful  situ- 
ation !  and  all  her  fault !  Why  should  she  not  end 
it;  why  bother  more! — Why  not  tell  Harwood  the 
truth — defy  Lander — and  go  from  Egerton  for- 
ever !  Rather,  why  not  do  the  last,  only — go  from 
Egerton  in  the  morning,  without  a  word,  and  lose 
herself  from  the  Past,  even  as  she  had  thought  to 
do  here. 

Then  gradually  the  tempest  of  incoherence  and 
despair  subsided,  and  she  began  to  see  things  in 
their  true  perspective.  There  was  no  need,  really, 
to  refuse  Harwood's  aid,  because  of  his  sudden 
change  from  friend  to  lover,  if,  before  she  accepted 
it,  he  were  made  to  know  the  truth,  and  the  hope- 
lessness of  his  passion.  Nor  was  there  any  neces- 
sity to  flee  forthwith.  Landor's  persistent  efforts 
to  unmask  her,  were,  she  knew,  not  due  to  curiosity 
—he  wanted  money ;  and  until  he  were  able  to  prove 
his  recognition,  he  would  not  venture  to  threaten. 
When  the  threat  came,  would  be  time  enough  for 
her  to  go — and  the  going  would  depend  upon  the 
then  conditions,  and  her  ability  to  fight  back.  All 
this  complication  had  arisen  in  exactly  seven  days ; 
it  might  solve  itself  in  as  many  more.  And  at  least 
in  that  time,  she  should  see  Harwood  again.  It  was 
not  within  her  courage  to  leave  without  another 
word,  without  a  last  touch  of  his  hand;  perchance, 
a  touch  of  his  lips — if  he  wished  it,  and  imposed  it 

i 


196         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

by  force;  nor  sparing  the  force.  Hers  was  the 
spirit,  now,  that  cried  for  a  rough  wooing,  and  a 
masterful  man. 

She  sprang  from  the  couch,  and  stood  before  the 
mirror. 

"  Why  can't  you  have  me,  sweetheart ! "  she  ex- 
claimed. "  Why  should  a  hoary  canon  of  conven- 
tion hold  us  apart !  Why  shouldn't  I— 

Surely  she  was  losing  the  little  sense  she  had! 
It  was  more  than  red  hair  and  a  pretty  face  that  a 
man  wanted.  Honor  was  honor  still,  with  a  Har- 
wood — a  clean  record  and  an  honest  name.  It 
was  just  as  well  that  Henry  Landor  had  come;  she 
would  have  to  hold  to  the  way  of  duty,  even  though 
it  lay  through  the  valley  of  renunciation  and 
despair. 

Then,  for  the  first  time,  she  remembered  Mrs. 
Leicester,  and  cried  out  in  sharp  humiliation.  She 
had  forgot !  Harwood  was  pledged.  She  had  been 
making  love  to  an  engaged  man ;  and  he  had  suffered 
it  out  of  courtesy  and 

She  flung  up  her  head  disavowingly.  No !  no ! 
that  she  would  not  believe.  Rumor  had  lied.  Judge 
Casson  was  mistaken;  he  must  have  inferred  it; 
Harwood  had  not  told  him.  His  very  action,  in 
itself,  was  denial: — she  could  no  more  doubt  his 
affection  and  his  sincerity,  than  she  could  doubt  his 
honor. 

A  faint,  little  scratch  sounded  at  the  door.  Mil- 
dred smiled  welcomingly,  and  raised  the  latch. 


THE  ROUT  OF  THE  GUARD    197 

"  Come  in !  "  she  called. 

A  more  vigorous  scratch  sent  the  door  ajar,  and 
the  little  white  dog,  fresh  from  his  bath  and  an 
hour's  sleep  after  it,  dashed  in  and  sprang  to  her 
arms,  snuggling  his  soft  head  close  to  hers,  and 
whimpering  gently  for  joy. 

"  What  gown  will  madame  wear  ?  "  said  the  maid, 
who  followed. 

"  The  black-spangled  net — and  make  haste, 
Lizette;  I'm  very  late.  There  is  a  guest  for 
dinner." 

"  I  thought  madame  slept,  so  I  waited ;  the 
caniche  would  have  come,  long  ago." 

"  Of  course !  "  Mildred  laughed,  putting  the  dog 
carefully  among  the  cushions  of  the  couch,  and 
dropping  a  caressing  hand  on  the  fleecy  head.  "  Lie 
there,  boy,  while  Missy  dresses." 

Chum  curled  up,  and  watched  the.  maid  sus- 
piciously; he  could  not  get  reconciled  to  anyone 
touching  his  mistress,  and  he  seemed  actually  to 
suffer,  when  Lizette  was  busy  about  her,  and  he  had 
to  stay  away. 

The  guest  was  Judge  Casson ;  come,  also,  in  his 
professional  capacity,  to  pass  upon  a  business  mat- 
ter, which  had*  arisen  that  day  and  required  prompt 
decision.  Mildred  always  had  him  to  dinner  when 
she  needed  his  advice;  it  was  a  courtesy  to  him,  a 
convenience  to  her,  and  saved  time  for  them  both. 

"  Put  blue  on  Chum,  and  send  him  down,"  she 
said,  as  Lizette  fastened  the  last  hook,  and  handed 


198         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

her  the  flimsy  bit  of  spider-web  that  does  duty  for 
a  woman's  handkerchief . 

"  Are  you  afraid  to  dine  with  me  alone,  Judge 
Gasson  ?  "  she  asked,  when  the  droopy-eyed  butler 
bowed  his  monotone  announcement,  from  the  door- 
way. "  Mrs.  Jamison  is  indisposed,  this  evening." 

"  Afraid !  "  the  Judge  exclaimed,  offering  his  arm 
with  the  sweeping  flourish  of  the  old  regime,  "  I'm 
tremendously  afraid,  but  I'm  too  happy  to  know  it." 

In  the  dining-room,  he  peremptorily  waved 
Brown  away  from  Mrs.  Gascoyne's  chair,  and  did 
the  service  himself. 

"  A — h !  "  he  sighed,  settling  into  his  place,  and 
smiling  across  the  small  round  table  at  her.  "  This 
is  delightful,  simply  delightful.  May  there  be 
many  more  like  it !  " 

"  You  wish  to  condemn  Mrs.  Jamison  to  chronic 
invalidism?  " 

"  I  would  condemn  myself  to  it,  for  such  a  com- 
pensation." 

"  That  is  the  first  ungallant  remark  I've  ever 
heard  from  you,"  she  returned,  regretfully. 

"  My  dear  lady,  I  protest !  Mrs.  Jamison's  ill- 
ness is  not  a  necessary  prerequisite  for  this  charming 
— solitude  of  two." 

"  No,  of  course,  no!"  (with  a  quick  glance  at 
him  through  her  long  lashes — was  he  going  to  get 
sentimental?)  "  Brown  could  serve  her  upstairs." 

"  A  capital  idea,  if  only  to  keep  him  away  from 
here!" 


THE  ROUT  OF  THE  GUARD         199 

"  Don't  you  like  Brown?  "  she  asked,  artlessly. 

"  I  decline  to  discuss  the  disagreeable,  now  1 "  he 
laughed.  "  Moreover,  there  are  other  ways  of  dis- 
posing of  Mrs.  Jamison  than  by  illness." 

"  For  instance?  " 

"  Send  her  away." 

"  I'd  have  to  get  another  in  her  place ;  Egerton 
would  be  scandalized  into  a  week  of  prayer,  if  I 
were  to  live  here  alone." 

The  Judge  leaned  across,  and  looked  at  her 
steadily. 

"  Get  another  in  her  place !  "  he  said. 

"  My  dear  man,  what  would  that  advantage? 
Mrs.  Jamison  is  most  satisfactory  and  companion- 
able." 

"  Certainly,  she  is ;  Mrs.  Jamison  is  a  very  su- 
perior woman ;  but  why  have  a —  He  broke  off, 
frowning. 

"  Have  a  what  ?  "  Mildred  asked. 

"  I'll  tell  you  when  that  meek-faced,  automatic 
man-servant  takes  his  ear  from  the  crack  of  the 
pantry  door. — It  is  gone,  now;  but  I'll  wait  until 
he  is  not  even  within  hearing  distance." 

And  he  waited  until  he  arose  to  take  his  lea>ve, 
several  hours  later,  after  the  business  matters  were 
gone  over  and  determined. 

"  My  dear  client,"  he  said,  "  will  you  permit  a 
bit  of  advice,  that  does  not  lie  within  my  privilege 
as  either  counsellor  or  friend?" 

"  Why  surely,  Judge  Casson !  You  are  privileged 


200         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

to  speak  to  me  as  frankly  as  my  own  father  might 
do,  were  he  living." 

The  old  man  bowed,  and,  going  to  the  door, 
looked  into  the  hall. 

"  I'll  walk  to  the  gate  with  you,"  she  suggested. 

He  offered  his  arm,  instantly;  she  caught  up 
a  scarf,  and  flung  it  around  her  bare  shoulders. 

"  It  has  been  much  on  my  mind,  lately,"  he  be- 
gan, as  they  went  down  the  piazza  steps,  "  yet  I 
have  hesitated  to  presume;  now,  the  reference  to 
Mrs.  Jamison  has  brought  it  forcibly  to  mind, 
again."  He  bent  over,  earnestly.  "  My  dear 
young  woman,  you  should  marry — you  should 
marry ! " 

Mildred  laughed  mirthlessly,  and  shook  her  head. 

"  A  burnt  child  fears  the  fire !  "  she  said. 

Judge  Casson  looked  gravely  down  at  her.  It 
was  the  first  time  she  ever  had  referred  to  her 
previous  experience — Mr.  Gascoyne's  name,  she 
never  mentioned. 

"  Very  true  of  a  child,"  he  agreed ;  "  an  adult  be- 
comes the  more  careful." 

"  It's  none  the  less  fire." 

"  Fire  is  a  blessing  under  normal  conditions." 

"  Fire  isn't  man,"  she  replied.  "  Fire  is  an  ele- 
ment controlled  by  immutable  laws ;  man  is  a  vari- 
able compound,  controlled  by  no  laws  whatever." 

"  Are  you  not  extreme,  my  lady — can  you  say 
you  have  never  known  a  man  who  was  dependable?  " 

"  No,  I  can't ! — there  are  exceptions,  I " 


THE  ROUT  OF  THE  GUARD        201 

"  Then  one  of  the  exceptions  is  the  man  for  you." 

She  gave  him  a  quizzical  smile. 

"  The  man  I  had  particularly  in  mind,"  she  said, 
"  is  yourself." 

The  wrinkled  face  flushed,  he  took  her  hand  and 
held  it,  lightly,  deferentially. 

"  My  dear  little  girl,"  he  said,  "  I  am  not  such  a 
silly,  old  fool  as  to  imagine  I  am  the  exception. 
Were  I  a  quarter  of  a  century  younger,  I  would 
take  my  chance;  now,  it  is  for  me  only  to  love  you 
with  an  old  man's  affectionate  regard,  and  stand 
your  devoted  mentor.  That  is  why  I  urge  you  to 
marry." 

"  Have  you  the  man  picked  out  ?  "  Mildred  asked. 

"  No — but  there  must  be  plenty  who  are  ready 
and  waiting." 

"In  Egerton?" 

"  Not  in  Egerton — we  have  none  here  who  mate 
with  you." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  I've  been  here 
for  more  than  six  months,  have  you  known  of  any 
stranger  coming  to  see  me?  " 

"  That  is  because  you  have  not  permitted  them 
to  come." 

"  It  is  because  I  have  never  permitted  them  to 
know  me  well  enough  to  want  to  come." 

"  It's  a  pity,  a  great  pity,  that  the  Master  of 
Fairlawn  is  already  affianced." 

"  Isn't  it !  "  Mildred  laughed — "  and  to  such  a 
beauty  as  Mrs.  Leicester — I  suppose  you  mean  her." 


202         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Yes,  I  mean  Mrs.  Leicester. — Why  don't  you 
take  him  away  from  her?  By  gracious,  maybe 
they  are  not  betrothed!  he  did  not  tell  me;  I  only 
assumed  it  from  his  talk,  the  evening  I  met  him. 
I'll  find  out,  to-morrow,  from  one  of  the  party  if  it 
has  been  announced;  if  it  has  not,  go  in  and  take 
him,  little  woman,  go  in  and  take  him !  " 

Mildred  gave  a  quiet  sigh  of  delight.  Her  trust 
in  Harwood  had  not  been  vain — he  was  not  prom- 
ised to  another  when  he  offered  himself  to  her. 

"  What  if  I  don't  want  him?  "  she  asked. 

She  failed  to  keep  the  delight  entirely  out  of  her 
voice,  and  the  Judge  detected  it. 

"  Are  you  quite  sure  you  could  not  want  him  ?  " 
he  said  quietly. 

She  leaned  forward  on  his  arm,  and  looked  up  at 
him. 

"  Don't  you  think,  sir,"  she  said,  "  that  it  should 
be  time  enough  for  me  to  consider  whether  I  want 
him,  when  he  has  shown  that  he  wants  me?  " 

"  Sometimes  a  clever  woman  can  lead  a  man  to 
know  what  he  wants." 

They  had  come  to  the  gate ;  he  turned  to  take  her 
back  to  the  house.  She  refused;  and  was  firm 
against  his  insistence. 

"  Promise  me,"  he  said,  as  she  gave  him  her  hand 
in  good-night ;  "  that  you  will  not  turn  Harwood 
aside  unheard,  if  he  seek  you." 

"  I  promise !  "  she  answered,  promptly. 

And  the  Judge  went  down  to  the  town,  his  heart 


THE  ROUT  OF  THE  GUARD        203 

warm  with  the  prospect;  now  that  he  had  come  to 
doubt  the  engagement,  he  was  remembering  that 
Harwood  had  shown,  from  the  first,  a  marked  liking 
for  Mrs.  Gascoyne. 

Mildred  passed  slowly  back  to  the  house,  her  as- 
sumed light-hearted  indifference  turned  to  dull 
wretchedness.  How  hopeless  it  was  ! — how  savagely 
fatalistic !  All  the  errors  of  her  life  assembled  for 
her  punishment !  Would  she  turn  Harwood  aside, 
unheard !  Oh,  the  mockery  of  it. 

In  the  hall,  Chum  met  her  with  whimpers  of  affec- 
tion, and  little  grumbles  of  complaint  at  having  been 
left  behind.  She  caught  him  up  and  carried  him 
into  the  drawing-room,  switching  off  the  lights  un- 
til only  a  low  one,  in  the  far  corner,  burned  sub- 
duedly,  under  its  deep-pink  shade.  She  wanted  to 
be  alone,  not  subject  even  to  Mrs.  Jamison's  good- 
night, nor  Lizette's  knock.  Her  nerves  were 
tingling,  her  brain  thrumming.  She  lay  back  in 
a  deep  arm-chair,  in  the  shadow  of  the  chimney- 
place;  eyes  closed,  inert  and  listless.  Chum  curled 
around  on  her  lap,  kissed  her  hand  softly,  then  put 
his  little  head  upon  it,  and  slept.  Presently  the 
relaxed  position,  the  quiet,  and  the  closed  eyes  had 
their  effect  upon  Mildred ;  she,  too,  slept. 

Suddenly  the  dog's  black  eyes  opened,  looking 
straight  at  the  side-window,  nearby. 

"Ur-r-r!"  he  growled,  faintly;  "Ur-r-r!" 

It  awoke  Mildred. 

"  What  is  it,  Chum?  "  she  asked. 


204         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

The  little  fellow  sat  up  sharply,  eyes  on  the 
window,  ears  cocked. 

"  Ur-r-r-r !  "  he  answered.     "  Ur-r-r-r-r !  " 

"  What  is  outside  that  you  don't  like?  " 

The  next  instant,  there  was  the  scrape  of  a  foot 
on  gravel,  and  she  caught  the  dog  around  the  nose, 
just  in  time  to  prevent  a  bark. 

"  Be  quiet,  sir !  "  she  whispered. 

Putting  him  on  the  chair,  she  went  softly  to  the 
window.  The  shade  was  drawn,  but  on  the  side  it 
did  not  lie  quite  tight  to  the  sash;  just  the  barest 
space  through  which  one  could  look,  and  not  be 
seen.  Chum  would  not  have  growled  at  one  of  the 
servants;  so,  who  was  it,  and  why  on  that  side  of 
the  house,  which  was  remotest  from  the  kitchen? 
She  cautiously  drew  the  curtain,  and  put  her  eye 
to  the  crack — then  almost  cried  out  in  surprise. 

Just  outside  stood  Henry  Landor — even  in  the 
semi-darkness  she  recognized  him  instantly.  What 
was  he  doing  there!  At  that  moment,  he  put  his 
head  close  to  the  glass  and  peered  up  at  the  junc- 
ture of  the  two  sash — and  then  she  understood:  he 
was  examining  the  window  and  its  fastenings. 
Presently,  he  stepped  back,  gave  a  quick  glance 
around,  and  disappeared  toward  the  front  of  the 
house.  She  stole  over  to  the  piazza  window.  The 
shade  was  raised  just  a  trifle;  she  lay  flat  on  the 
floor  and  looked  out. 

Landor  was  drawing  himself  carefully  up  on  the 
piazza;  he  slunk  across  and  stood  in  front  of  this 


THE  ROUT  OF  THE  GUARD        205 

window,  so  close  that  she  could  see  only  his  feet ;  but 
she  knew  that  he  was  examining  it  also.  Almost 
immediately,  he  moved  away,  dropped  lightly  to  the 
turf,  and  vanished  in  the  shadows  of  the  trees 
toward  the  avenue. 

Mildred  arose,  and  returned  to  her  chair. 

"  Chum !  "  she  said,  picking  him  up  and  nestling 
his  small  head  close  to  her  cheek,  "  you  are  a  dear ! 
to  tell  me  that  some  one  was  out  there,  and  then 

to  keep  so  still  while  I  watched  him We  are 

going  to  have  a  burglar,  to-night,  boy — not  a  pro- 
fessional burglar ;  an  amateur,  who  wants  the  High- 
land snuff-box  in  the  cabinet  yonder.  But  we  will 
block  him,  you  and  I.  You  have  done  your  part, 
the  rest  is  for  your  mistress." 

For  a  time,  she  thought  over  various  ways  of 
procedure,  while  Chum  slept  again  on  her  knee. 
Should  she  summon  the  policeman?  (the  entire 
force  that  looked  after  the  safety  of  Egerton,  at 
night) — should  she  telephone  for  Judge  Casson? — 
for  Harwood? — station  Brown  in  the  drawing- 
room?  .... 

One  after  another,  she  put  them  aside;  and  for 
the  same  objection: — were  Landor  taken,  or  even 
recognized,  he  could  clear  himself  only  by  explaining 
his  motives;  which  would  involve  her,  and  likely 
prove  her  undoing — at  least,  it  would  raise  a  scan- 
dal which  would  be  hard  to  down.  Indeed,  instead  of 
employing  the  butler,  she  must  see  to  it  that  neither 
he,  nor  any  of  the  servants,  came  upon  Landor 


206         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

during  the  burglary.  For  she  intended  that  he  be 
permitted  to  make  the  attempt,  and  then  be  caught 
in  the  act;  notwithstanding,  as  she  realized  now,  it 
was  she  herself  who  must  do  the  catching — and 
do  it  alone. 

The  clock  on  the  landing  began  to  strike  ten.  She 
tucked  Chum  under  her  arm,  and  went  upstairs. 
Landor  would  not  return  before  one  at  the  earliest, 
more  likely  two;  and  there  was  no  occasion  for 
Brown  to  find  her  there,  when  he  came  front  to  close 
the  house. 

She  stopped  for  a  good-night  word  with  Mrs. 
Jamison.  She  put  in  an  hour,  after  Lizette  had 
removed  the  evening-gown,  in  having  her  brush  the 
soft  red  hair,  and  weave  it  into  a  heavy  plait.  But 
when  the  maid  would  have  apparelled  her  for  the 
night,  she  dismissed  her,  telling  her  to  go  to  bed, 
and  that  she  would  undress  without  assistance.  She 
slipped  on  a  shimmering  blue  silk  tea- gown,  and  set- 
tled, with  a  magazine,  into  a  easy  chair  beside  the 
reading-light.  Immediately,  however,  she  got  up 
and  went  into  the  bed-room ;  returning  with  a  long- 
barrelled  military  revolver,  which  she  put  on  the 
table,  beside  her;  first  assuring  that  no  cartridge 
lay  under  the  hammer.  Then  she  resumed  her 
magazine. 

At  the  half-hour  bell,  after  midnight,  she  raised 
the  sash  and  looked  over  at  Fairlawn — her  rooms 
being  on  the  south  side  of  The  Oaks  she  could  not 
see  the  Hall,  except  by  leaning  well  out  of  the  front 


THE  ROUT  OF  THE  GUARD        207 

window.  Lights  still  burned  there,  so  she  returned 
to  her  reading. 

At  one  o'clock  she  looked  again.  Darkness  now. 
Chum,  curled  in  an  Astor  chair,  was  watching  her 
with  sleepy  eyes.  She  hesitated.  Was  it  better  to 
leave  him  here,  trusting  that  he  would  not  hear  the 
burglary,  or  to  take  him  down  with  her  and  risk 
being  able  to  control  him  to  silence.  She  chose  the 
former. 

"  You  wait,  boy,"  she  said ;  "  lie  still,  and  be 
quiet — be  quiet,  sir !  " 

Chum  put  down  his  head,  and  blinked.  Mil- 
dred wound  her  soft  skirts  around  her,  high  above 
the  slender,  blue  silk  ankles,  and,  catching  up  the 
revolver,  fingers  around  hammer  and  cylinder,  she 
turned  off  the  lights,  stole  softly  across  the  hall, 
and  down  the  stairs.  She  had  never  been  afraid  of 
the  dark. 

In  the  drawing-room,  she  went  first  to  the  side 
window  and  looked  out,  very  cautiously.  The  sky 
was  overcast,  but  the  distant  glow  of  the  lamps  on 
the  avenue  enabled  her  to  see  that  no  one  was 
nearby.  She  did  not  venture  to  raise  the  shade, 
but  she  drew  it  back  at  the  side  enough  to  admit 
her  hand  to  the  catch.  This  she  set  at  the  extreme 
edge,  where  the  least  pressure  would  spring  it  open. 
She  would  have  unlocked  it,  but  that  it  might  make 
Landor  suspicious.  She  had  no  mind  to  lose  the 
advantage,  as  well  as  the  sweet  pleasure,  of  catch- 
ing him  in  the  very  act  of  burglary. 


208        THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

She  went  into  the  hall  and  listened — no  sound, 
save  the  tick  of  the  big  clock  on  the  landing.  She 
counted  two  hundred — silence,  still.  She  returned 
to  the  drawing-room,  verified  the  exact  position  of 
the  electric  keys  on  the  wall  beside  the  door,  then 
sat  down  on  the  sofa  close-by,  to  wait. 

To  wait,  is  always  tedious;  to  wait  in  darkness, 
is  to  treble  tediousness  and  time;  to  wait  alone,  in 
darkness,  for  a  burglar,  in  order  to  surprise  him 
after  he  has  broken  in,  is  to  treble  every  sensation 
within  the  range  of  nerves.  Mildred,  unafraid  while 
she  was  moving  about,  now  soon  began  to  feel  the 
rack  of  the  suspense  and  the  silence !  She  bent  her 
ears  toward  the  window,  listening,  hoping. 

Presently,  a  big  bell  down  in  the  town  boomed 
once — its  elder  brother,  in  the  court-house  tower, 
echoed  harshly — the  soft  chime  of  the  ancient  aristo- 
crat, on  the  landing,  spoke  last. — Again,  all  was 
still. — If  only  she  had  brought  the  little  dog ;  some- 
thing alive  to  touch  and  whisper  to ! — She  crossed 
cautiously  to  the  window.  Silence — no  one  there. 
She  went  back  to  the  sofa.  In  a  little  while,  she 
dozed. 

She  awoke,  knowing  that  a  noise  outside  had 
roused  her.  She  lay  quite  still ;  Landor  had  come. 
Soon  there  was  a  scraping  at  the  window,  followed 
almost  directly  by  the  snap  of  the  catch. 

Instantly,  she  was  up  and  behind  the  heavy  hang- 
ing of  the  hall  doorway,  with  the  electric  keys,  in 
the  drawing-room,  under  her  hand. 


THE  ROUT  OF  THE  GUARD        209 

She  heard  the  sash  moved  cautiously;  the  shade 
was  raised  very  slowly ; — and,  though  she  had  dis- 
tinguished no  further  sound,  she  was  conscious  of 
some  one  being  in  the  room. 

It  was  then,  that  the  peril  of  it  gripped  her — 
even  though  it  were  Landor,  and  hence  no  danger. 
The  chills  of  fear  began  to  creep  along  her  spine, 
colder  and  colder;  only  by  clenching  her  teeth  with 
all  her  strength  was  she  able  to  restrain  their  chat- 
tering. She  wanted  to  flee — upstairs  ! — anywhere  ! 
— only  to  get  away !  There  came  a  sound  from 
near  the  middle  of  the  room.  It  was  for  that  she 
waited, — to  let  him  get  well  away  from  the  window 
— yet,  now,  she  had  no  power  to  act. 

Suddenly,  she  felt  the  revolver  in  her  hand.  The 
fright  left  her  as  abruptly  as  it  had  come.  She 
drew  aside  the  curtain,  and  pressed  the  keys.  The 
room  burst  into  brilliant  light. 

"  Good  morning,  Mr.  Lan —   — !  " 

It  was  the  be-whiskered  face  of  an  unknown,  that 
was  staring  at  her  across  the  long,  dull-blue  barrel ! 
In  sheer  amazement,  she  stared  back.  The  tramp 
recovered  first. 

"  Great  Theodore !  "  he  exclaimed,  and  sprang 
toward  the  window. 

"  Stop !  "  Mildred  snapped. 

The  man  stopped.  He  knew  something  of  re- 
volvers; and  the  woman,  who  used  one  of  military 
size,  doubtless  could  shoot  straight. 

"  Face  around !  "  she  ordered. — "  Now,  where  is 
14 


210         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

the  man  who  employed  you  to  break  in  here? — 
Come,  no  trifling;  one  kills  burglars,  and  I'll  do  it, 
if  you  don't  answer.  Where  is  he,  I  say? — Speak 
low,  I  don't  want  the  house  aroused." 

"  I  pass,  leddy ! — he  was  out  there  when  I  come 
in,  but  you  can  bet  your  last  nickle,  he  cut  when 
you  put  on  the  juice." 

"  What  is  his  name  ?  " 

"  He's  the  bloke  what  owns  the  big,  hot  bun  of  a 
house  with  the  wall  around  it — next  to  this  her'n." 

"  How  do  you  know  he  is  the  man  who  owns  it  ?  " 

"  Well,  that's  what  he  tells  me,"  said  the  tramp 
quickly — he  did  not  like  the  sudden  narrowing  of 
Mildred's  eyes. 

"  Can  you  describe  him  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Sure ! — big ;  up,  not  through ;  black  hair,  the 
sort  you,  leddy,  would  call  handsome." 

"  What  did  he  tell  you  to  get  here?  " 

"  A  silver  somethin'  in  the  glass  cupboard,  there ; 
with  a  pink  stone  in  the  top." 

"  What  were  you  to  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  Bring  it  to  him  at  the  window ;  he  wanted  to  get 
his  peeps  on  her  a  minute." 

"  And  then?  " 

"  Then  I  was  to  chuck  her  back  in  the  cupboard, 
just  where  I  got  her." 

"  How  were  you  to  open  the  cabinet  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  wouldn't  had  no  trouble  in  that  line, 
leddy,"  tipping  her  a  wink ;  "  a  bit  of  wire  does  the 
trick,  see! — anyway,  he  gave  me  some  keys." 


THE  ROUT  OF  THE  GUARD 

Mildred  nodded.     "  What  did  he  pay  you?  " 

"  Twenty-five  piasters — five  down,  balance  when 
the  job  was  pulled  off." 

"  I  suppose  he  picked  you  up  somewhere  this 
evening,  for  the  job?  "  she  asked. 

"  Right,  leddy ! — on  the  road  near  your  gate— ^ 
he'd  just  come  out.  He  said  it  were  on  a  bet — a 
friendly  burglary,  he  called  it. — Is  that  all,  mam? 
I'm  'most  bias-eyed  lookin'  down  the  mouth  of  that 
cannon  you  keep  trained  on  me  diamond  stud." 

Mildred  smiled.  "  Yes — that  is  all ; — only,  don't 
try  to  collect  the  balance  of  the  piasters,  and  don't 
loiter  around  Egerton ;  get  away  before  day -break, 
and  stay  away.  If  you  do,  you  will  miss  the  peni- 
tentiary— for  this  time,  at  least.  If  you  don't " 

"  Me  for  the  grit,  leddy,  on  the  jump." 

With  a  sweeping  bow,  the  soldier  of  the  Imperial 
Guard  backed  to  the  window,  and  stepped  out  into 
the  night. 

Mildred  closed  the  sash,  and  lowered  the  curtain. 
Then  she  took  the  snuff-box  from  the  cabinet, 
turned  off  the  lights,  and  passed  wearily  up  the 
stairs  to  her  room. 


XIII 

ABOUND   THE   LOOP   BY   THE   SUGAR-LOAF 

"  COLLETON,"  said  Evelyn  Leicester,  slipping  her 
hand  through  his  arm,  "  come  along  out  into  Betty's 
garden,  I  want  a  little  chat  with  you." 

"  If  it  is  to  be  only  a  little  chat,  I  won't  go." 

"  That's  up  to  you — and  how  long  you  can  delay 
your  visit  to  The  Oaks." 

"  What  gives  you  the  notion  I  might  wander 
over  there  ?  "  he  laughed. 

"  To  wander  implies  aimlessness,"  she  retorted, 
dropping  his  arm,  and  gathering  her  skirts  for  the 
stone  steps. 

"  Whither  away,  O  Fair  Maid  of  the  Pretty 
Ankles  ?  "  called  Wilberf orce,  from  the  billiard-room 
window. 

"  Where  people  won't  see  what  they  shouldn't," 
she  answered. 

"  So  long,  little  one !  "  he  called.  "  I'll  wait  for 
your  return ;  don't  overstay  my  patience !  " 

"  Now,  you  know,"  she  said,  as  they  went  down 
among  the  flowers,  "  had  any  one  else  done  that,  I 
should  have  been  furious.  It's  queer  how  some  men 
can  say  almost  anything  to  a  woman  and  yet  not 
be  offensive." 

"  Have  you  ever  noticed,  however,  that  such  men 
can  never  do  anything  that  really  counts  ?  " 

212 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF 

She  looked  up  at  him  thoughtfully. 

"  I  hadn't  noticed  it,"  she  replied,  "  but  you  are 
right.  No  one  ever  gets  angry  at  Tony — and  no 
one  would  think  of  him  as  anything  but  just  a  good 
fellow." 

"  Exactly — a  handy  chap  to  have  around — up  on 
social  niceties,  good  at  cards  and  amateur  sports, 
clever  at  leading  a  cotillon —  Well,  I  seem  to  be 
characterizing  myself  rather  accurately !  Would 
you  have  been  furious  with  me  had  I  spoken  as 
Wilberforce  did?  " 

"  No " 

He  raised  his  hands  expressively. 

You  are  privileged  to  speak  to  me  anyway  you 
wish,"  she  ended. 

"  I've  never  done  anything  that  counts ! "  he 
argued. 

"  Indolence  and  a  fortune,  not  capability.  Come 
over  to  the  bench  by  the  rose  tree,  and  quit  fishing 
or  pessimism,  whichever  it  be.  Moreover,  you  will 
do  something  that  counts  if  you  stay  at  Fairlawn 
and  live  up  to  your  obligations — and  don't  start 
wrong."  She  sat  down. 

"  It  was  just  here  that  I  first  saw  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne,"  he  answered. 

"  Then  she  didn't  start  wrong — she  understands 
the  power  of  scenic  effect." 

"  She  made  a  rather  striking  picture,  I  admit — 
her  wonderful  hair,  and  the  roses,  and  the  vines, 
and  all  that,  you  know." 


THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Yes,  I  know — and  she  made  a  still  more  striking 
picture  beside  me  in  the  drawing-room,  the  other 
evening,  didn't  she?  You've  an  eye  to  scenic  effect, 
yourself." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  her  beside  you  here,"  he  re- 
plied, stepping  back  as  in  contemplation ;  "  the 
black  and  the  red,  against  the  roses  and  the ; 

"  Oh,  go  'long,  Colleton !  Come  here  beside  me, 
yourself,  and  I'll  tell  you  something  that  may  in- 
terest you." 

He  sat  down,  and  gave  her  hand  an  affectionate 
little  tap. 

"  Good  girl !  "  he  said;  "  what  is  it?  " 

"  Now,  I've  a  mind  not  to  tell  you." 

"  No,  you  haven't !  Your  curiosity  would  not 
permit.  You  want  to  know  something  from  me,  as 
well  as  to  tell  me  something." 

"  Positively,  you  are  growing  astute ! "  she 
laughed,  "  though  this  time  you  are  misjudging  me. 
I  plead  curiosity,  but  I'm  not  counting  on  you  satis- 
fying it.  Can  you  tell  me  what  Henry  Landor  was 
doing  in  this  garden,  at  two  o'clock  this  morning?  " 

"  I  haven't  the  remotest  notion,"  said  Harwood ; 
— "  maybe  he  was  walking  down  a  troubled  con- 
science." 

"  Then,  maybe  it  also  was  a  troubled  conscience 
which,  a  short  while  after,  turned  on  the  lights  in 
The  Oaks." 

Harwood  smiled. 

"  And  maybe  it  was  the  same  troubled  conscience 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF  215 

which,  a  few  minutes  later,  brought  Landor  up 
through  the  garden  on  a  run !  " 

"  And  the  lights  in  The  Oaks?  "  he  asked. 

"  They  were  extinguished  almost  immediately 
after." 

"  And  you  would  connect  the  lights  with 
Landor?  " 

"  No,  no,  Colleton ! "  with  a  bantering  smile,  "  I 
leave  the  inference  to  you;  I  am  only  narrating  a 
sequence  of  events." 

He  broke  off  a  rose,  and  slowly  plucked  it  to 
pieces.  After  last  evening,  the  sequence  of  events 
led  very  straight  to  one  conclusion.  Yet,  surely, 
Landor  would  not  attempt  to  enter  The  Oaks — com- 
mit a  felony  to  see  a  snuff-box,  on  the  mere  chance 
of  it  establishing  Mrs.  Gascoyne's  identity.  If  it 
were  true,  then  the  matter  was  at  a  crisis  where  he 
was  justified  in  insisting  that  she  permit  him  to 
aid  her.  Now,  however,  he  must  make  a  play  at 
ridiculing  Evelyn's  suspicions. 

"  I  have  it !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  When  Landor 
went  out,  he  had  the  conscience;  when  he  returned, 
he  was  running  away  from  it." 

"  And  the  light  in  The  Oaks  ?  "  she  queried,  very 
sweetly. 

"  The  solemn-faced  butler  chasing  a  mouse !  " 

"  Why  not  conducting  morning  prayers  ?  "  she 
mocked. 

«  Too  early !  " 

"  It  is  all  very  well,  my  boy,  for  you  to  deride 


216         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

and  be  silly,  but  I  rather  suspect  it  is  assumed. 
However,  I  forbid  your  mentioning  it  to  Landor. 
For  the  present,  I  prefer  to  keep  it  for  my  own 
use.  There  he  comes  now,  on  the  side  path;  I 
think  I'll  stop  him Good  morning!  "  (flash- 
ing him  her  most  enticing  smile)  "  come  and  take 
the  busy  host's  place;  he  has  been  trying  to  get 
away  for  the  last  ten  minutes.  Run  along,  Col- 
leton,  I'll  excuse  you,  now." 

"  Don't  be  flattered,  Landor,"  said  Harwood ; 
"  you  will  be  dismissed  as  soon  as  the  next  chap 
appears,"  and  with  a  sly  wink  at  Evelyn,  he  strolled 
off  toward  the  house. 

Here,  he  stopped  long  enough  to  glance  over  his 
mail,  and  to  give  William  the  special  orders  for  the 
day. 

"  Is  there  a  car  in  front?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  sir — the  little  one  that  came  yesterday ; 
Mr.  Wilberforce  and  some  of  the  folks  took  the  big 
one." 

Harwood  nodded,  and  went  out,  dismissed  Hud- 
son and  drove  to  The  Oaks.  As  he  turned  into  the 
driveway,  Mrs.  Gascoyne  was  standing  at  an  open 
window,  and  he  swung  his  cap  in  greeting. 

She  came  out  on  the  piazza  to  meet  him. 

"  I  captured  you  that  time !  "  he  laughed,  jump- 
ing out  and  taking  her  hand.  "  Come  with  me  for 
a  ride ;  it's  too  glorious  a  morning  to  stay  indoors." 

She  tried  to  look  him  in  the  eyes,  and  failed. 

"  I'm  too  busy !  "  she  said. 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF  217 

"  Busy !  Nonsense !  You  are  not  too  busy  to 
spare  an  hour  for  health.  Dressmakers  and  fight- 
ing dirt  kill  more  women  than  disease."  He  drew 
her  toward  the  door.  "  Run  along,  milady ;  tie 
on  your  puffs  with  a  bolt  or  two  of  veil,  and  we'll  be 
off— hustle ! " 

"  I  oughtn't  to  go ! "  she  protested,  "  really,  I 
oughtn't !  " 

"  I'll  give  you  five  minutes,"  handing  her  into  the 
hall.  "  Run  along ! — and,  I  say,  dear,  leave  a 
strand  or  two  of  hair  outside  the  veil." 

"  Why  ?  "  she  asked,  in  puzzled  surprise. 

He  stepped  in  beside  her,  and  bent  his  head  near 
to  hers. 

"  So  that  the  wind  will  brush  it  against  my  face," 
he  whispered. 

She  looked  up  at  him  with  a  mischievous  smile. 

"  You  forget  the  size  of  the  hat,  m'sieur !  "  and 
sprang  away.  "  I'll  be  down  in  a  minute !  "  she 
called,  from  the  landing. 

When  she  came,  Harwood  shook  his  head  sadly. 

"  I  never  saw  such  fool  hats,"  he  said. 

"  Nor  I ! "  she  laughed ;  "  but  deliverance  is  in 
sight ;  they  won't  dare  make  them  wider — they  are 
elevator-door  size  now." 

"  Which  way  will  the  brims  turn,  up  or  down  ?  " 
he  asked,  putting  her  in,  and  drawing  on  his  gloves. 

"  Both !  it  will  be  waste-paper  baskets,  next." 

"  Oh,  Lord !  me  for  the  mantilla." 

The  car  dipped  out  on  the  avenue,  and  he  swung 


218         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

it  for  the  long  loop  by  the  Sugar-Loaf .  "  Did  you 
ever  wear  a  mantilla?  "  he  asked  suddenly,  leaning 
forward  to  see  past  her  veil. — "  Ah,  it  was  you ! — 
do  you  remember?  " 

"  Perfectly,  m'sieur :  the  Grand  Canal  of  Venice. 
I  recognized  you,  at  once,  in  the  Fairlawn  garden." 

"  Was  it  the  mantilla  that  deceived  me — led  me 
to  think  your  hair  was  black?  " 

"  Possibly ! — though  it  was  bright  sun-light ;  and 
my  hair  was  red,  I  assure  you ;  quite  as  red  as  now." 

"  I  haunted  the  hotels  and  Florian's  for  days,  in 
search  of  you." 

"  I  wasn't  at  a  hotel ;  I  was  staying  with  friends. 
I  went  to  Rome  that  very  evening." 

"  Two  years  wasted !  Why  didn't  you  leave  a 
note  for  me? — you  should  have  known  I'd  try  to 
find  you." 

"  You  great  stupid !  "  she  laughed  gayly ;  "  where 
should  I  have  sent  the  note,  and  to  whom :  '  The 
Man  Whose  Clumsy  Gondolier  almost  tumbled  Me 
into  the  Adriatic, — Some  Hotel, — Venice  ?  '  More- 
over, sir,  why  should  I  have  wanted  you  to  find  me 
— why  should  I  have  even  thought  of  you  again !  " 

Harwood  loved  the  little  toss  of  her  head,  and 
the  half-indignant  flash  of  the  long-lashed  eyes. 

"  I  don't  know  why,"  he  said,  placidly ;  "  but  you 
have." 

"  I  suppose  you  will  have  the  effrontery  to  say 
that  I  told  you !  " 

"  Practically  that,  little  one : — you  did  not  forget 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF  219 

me — you  recognized  me  immediately — and  you 
denied  me,  when  I  put  you  to  the  test." 

"  Put  me  to  the  test,  indeed ! "  she  mocked. 
"  When,  Mr.  Harwood,  when  ?  " 

"  The  afternoon  you  gave  me  a  high-ball  instead 
of  tea.  You  told  me,  then,  that  you  had  been  to 
Venice  only  once,  last  year." 

"  That  wasn't  the  way  of  it.  You  asked  if  I 
had  been  in  Venice ; — I  said,  '  only  once  last  year  ' ; 
you  replied,  '  it  was  two  years  ago,'  but  you  did  not 
follow  it  by  asking,  if  I  were  there  two  years  ago." 

"  Rather  fine-spun  salvation,  milady !  Why  did 
you  deliberately  mislead  me  ?  " 

"  I  didn't !  I  only  refused  to  help  you.  If  you 
couldn't  recognize  me,  I  most  certainly  did  not 
intend  to  let  you  think  that  I  remembered  you." 

A  man  in  uniform  stepped  out  on  the  track  ahead, 
and  waved  his  stick  for  them  to  stop. 

"  You're  running  too  fast,  Mr.  Harwood,"  he 
said. 

"  Too  fast !  "  Colleton  marvelled,  glancing  at  the 
speedometer,  "  I  was  doing  not  quite  a  twelve." 

The  guard  smiled.     "  Six  is  the  limit,  sir." 

"  Six  the  limit!  Is  this  entire  battle-field  a 
cemetery  ?  " 

"  There  are  many  who  think  so,  sir ;  but  the  Boss 
says,  the  public  must  be  protected,  if  he  has  to  cut 
this  limit  in  half — and  then  some.  I  didn't  mean 
to  hold  you  up — only  to  remind  you  of  the  rule. 
Go  right  along,  sir." 


220         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  It  was  really  my  fault,  Carson,"  said  Mrs. 
Gascoyne ;  "  Mr.  Harwood  did  not  see  the  notice, 
and  I  forgot  to  tell  him." 

"  Very  decent  sort,  that  officer,"  said  Colleton. 

"  They  all  are — they  never  make  an  arrest  unless 
driven  to  it." 

"  Good!  where  is  the  next  guard  stationed? — we 
will  hit  it  up  a  bit,  as  soon  as  we  pass  the  curve. 
In  the  meantime,  tell  me  what  you  did,  last  evening." 

"  Nothing." 

"  Of  course !  but  what  else  ?  " 

"  Had  Judge  Casson  for  dinner,  and  professional 
consultation.  He  is  one  dear  old  man." 

"  Yes,"  said  Harwood,  "  he  is.  What  did  you 
do  after  he  left?" 

She  gave  him  a  quick,  sidelong  glance:  "  Sat  in 
the  drawing-room  until  something  after  ten,  them 
went  upstairs." 

"And  then?" 

"  M'meu-r!!   you  stop  downstairs." 

"  I  did !  "  he  laughed.  "  I  meant,  when  you  came 
down,  again !  " 

"  Oh,  this  morning?  " 

He  closed  the  throttle,  and,  one  hand  on  the 
steering-wheel,  faced  around  toward  her. 

"  Yes,  this  morning ! — at  two  o'clock. — Tell  me 
about  it,  dear ;  " — slipping  his  hand  over  hers — 
"  was  he  after  the  snuff-box  ?  " 

"  How  did  you  know  of  it?  " 

"  I  guessed  it.     He  was  seen  in  the  garden  of 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF 

Fairlawn,  at  two  o'clock ;  presently,  the  lights  went 
on  suddenly  at  The  Oaks ;  a  minute  later,  he  ran  up 
through  the  garden  from  the  rear." 

"  I'll  tell  you,  certainly,  if  you  wish,"  she  said. 
"  On  the  whole,  it  is  rather  amusing."  .... 

"  It  is  a  good  story,  and  may  seem  amusing  now," 
said  Harwood,  when  she  had  concluded,  "  but  it 
isn't  amusing  to  me,  dear.  That  fellow  is  bent  on 
mischief;  won't  you  let  me  pack  him  off?  " 

She  shook  her  head.  "  He  wouldn't  go  farther 
than  Egerton." 

"  The  police  should  see  that  he  went." 

"  No  !  no !  "  she  exclaimed ;  "  that  would  ruin 
everything.  Do  you  really  want  to  help  me,  dear  ? 
—yes,  I  know  you  do.  Then  keep  him  at  Fairlawn ; 
treat  him  just  as  heretofore;  don't  let  him  have  a 
suspicion  of  what  you  know — and  let  me  fight  it  out 
alone." 

"  Don't  make  me  stand  idle !  let  me  do  some- 
thing." 

"  If  it  were  the  days  of  chivalry,  I  should  let  you 
kill  him." 

"  And  I  should  do  it  gladly. — I'll  do  it  now,  if 
he  will  provide  a  half-justifiable  excuse." 

She  grasped  his  hand  with  both  of  hers. 

"  Heavens,  Colleton,  I  didn't  mean  it !  "  she  cried. 

"  I  know  you  didn't,  sweetheart,"  he  said,  slip- 
ping his  arm  around  her ;  "  nevertheless,  there  is  no 
reason  why  you  should  not  pray  that  he  break  his 
neck  on  the  run  to-morrow." 


222         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  It  is  a  shameful  thing  to  say,  I  know,  but  if  he 
were  to  go  down,  I  should  shout  for  joy,  as  I  rode 
by."  She  looked  up  at  him  with  a  wan,  little  smile. 
"  Are  you  very  much  shocked,  m'sieur  ?  " 

"  So  much  so,  that  if  you  permit,  I  will  ride  over 
him  at  one  of  the  fences." 

"  Indeed,  I  don't  permit !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  On 
the  contrary,  any  violence  to  Landor  from  you,  is 
specifically  prohibited. — And  listen,  Colleton!  you 
must  not  take  my  hand,  nor  put  your  arm  around 
me,  nor  call  me  '  dear,'  and  *  sweetheart.'  It  isn't 
seemly  for  you  to  do,  nor  for  me  to  permit;  and 
you  must  help  me,  Colleton — you  must  help  me  to 
do  right." 

"  Why  is  it  not  seemly  ?  "  he  asked,  gently. 

"  Because — because — we  can  never  be  more  than 
friends." 

"  Even  granting  that,  which  I  most  assuredly  do 
not,  still,  is  it  any  reason  whatever?  "  he  asked. 
"  Moreover,  that  reason  does  not  exist ;  you  will  be 
Mistress  of  Fairlawn,  before  its  roses  fade." 

"  Don't !  "  she  plead,  "  don't  mock  me  with  the 
impossible  and  hopeless !  " 

"  My  dear  little  girl,"  he  said,  turning  her  fair 
face  toward  his,  "  dismiss  such  foolish  notions. 
Think  of  the  pleasant  things;  of  the  garden  you 
delight  in — all  yours,  to  do  with  as  you  wish;  of 
the  house;  of  the  happy  years  we  shall  have  to- 
gether. Nothing  is  impossible  and  hopeless  to 
youth,  and  strength,  and  love." 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  why  it  is  impossible  and  hope- 
less? "  she  asked,  looking  at  him  through  tear- 
dimmed  eyes. 

"  Do  you  really  wish  to  tell  me?  " 

She  shook  her  head.     "  No !  at  least,  not  now." 

"  Then  don't !  Only,  may  I  know  whether  Lan- 
dor's  coming  has  affected  your  decision?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least,  Colleton.  It  would  be  just 
the  same  had  he  never  seen  this  town." 

"  I'm  glad,"  he  answered ;  "  now,  I  may  be  able 
to  treat  him  as  a  host  should,  until  you  wish  him 
sent.  Then,  I'll  have  William  kick  him  off  the 
piazza.  The  bounder  should  never  have  been  in- 
cluded in  the  party.  Hilda  Gordon  wanted  him — 
I  fancy  there  is  an  understanding  between  them." 

"  You  mean  that  they  are  engaged?  " 

"  It  has  not  been  announced,  but  that  is  the  gen- 
eral impression." 

"  Has  Miss  Gordon  money  ?  " 

"  Any  quantity  of  it.  Her  father  was  a  marvel- 
lous financier.  He  was  an  executive  officer  of  the 
Transportation  Company ;  with  a  salary  of  much 
less  than  ten  thousand  a  year,  he  was  spending  fifty 
thousand  a  year,  and  has  left  an  estate  of  five  mil- 
lion. She  is  the  sole  heir,  and  half  of  it  is  within 
her  absolute  control." 

"  And  Landor,  what  of  him,  since  he  came  to 
Northumberland?  "  she  asked. 

She  listened,  without  interrupting,  eyes  fixed  on 
the  track  ahead. 


THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Now ! "  she  said ;  "  with  what  happened  last 
night,  and  what  you've  told  me,  I  think  I  am  pretty 
well  prepared  for  Mr.  Landor,  so  let  us  forget  him 
for  the  rest  of  our  ride." 

Harwood  had  shut  off  the  power,  and  they  were 
coasting  slowly  down  the  steep  and  winding  hill 
toward  the  Sugar-Loaf.  He  leaned  on  the  wheel, 
and  looked  up  at  her.  In  the  morning  sun,  the 
little  wisps  of  hair  that  had  come  free,  fluttered 
around  her  face  like  filaments  of  flame;  the  merry 
grey  eyes  sparkled  through  the  glistening  black 
lashes;  the  soft  pink  of  her  cheeks  glowed  deeper; 
the  bright  carmine  of  the  lips  went  brighter  still, 
the— 

He  resisted  no  more.  Instead,  he  caught  her 
quickly  to  him,  and  kissed  her  on  the  cheek,  and  lips, 
and  eyes. 

"  Colleton !  "  she  cried.  "  You  nasty—!  What 
if  some  one  saw !  " 

"  No  one  saw !  "  he  laughed.  "  There  isn't  even 
a  bird  in  sight." 

"  You  have  knocked  my  hat  loose — every  pin  in 
my  hair  is  sticking  me !  " 

"Let  me  fix  it!" 

"  Keep  away !  "  swinging  her  elbow  between  them, 
"  you've  done  quite  enough  damage.  Why  didn't 
you  wait  until — I  mean — oh,  I  hate  you !  " 

"  I  kissed  you  only  twice !  "  he  protested. 

"  Only  twice ! — Can't  you  see  this  front  hat-pin ! 
Why  don't  you  help  me?  " 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF  225 

He  searched  for  it,  awkwardly. 

"  Here  it  is !  "  he  cried ;  "  what  shall  I  do  with 
it?" 

"  Pull  it  out,  stupid !  pull  it  out. — Ah !  thank 
you — no,  I'll  not  thank  you;  it's  all  your  fault." 

"  I'm  sorry,  dear ;  you're  quite  right,  I  should 
have  waited  until  you  had  taken  off  the  hat." 

She  turned  her  back  on  him. 

"  Or  did  you  mean  until  we  got  to  The  Oaks  ?  " 
he  teased. 

With  that,  she  whirled  around  and  jabbed  one 
of  the  pins  into  his  arm. 

"  Great  Hell !  "  he  exclaimed. — "  I  beg  your 
pardon ! " 

"  Did  you  know  what  you  were  saying,  Mr.  Har- 
wood?  "  she  asked,  sweetly. 

"  No ! — did  you  know  what  you  were  doing?  " 

"Perfectly! — just  as,  when  you  kissed  me,  you 
knew  what  you  were  doing,  and  I  didn't  know  what 
I  said." 

"  Then  the  penalty  for  two  kisses  is  an  inch  of 
hat-pin  in  some  handy  part  of  my  anatomy. — Come 
along,  while  you  have  that  javelin  in  your  hand, 
jab  it  into  the  other  arm,  and  I'll  take  my  exchange 
at  the  end  of  the  ride." 

"  Positively,  Colleton,  you  are  incorrigible." 

"Yes,  dear!" 

"You  admit  it?" 

"  Yes,  dear." 

"  Expecting  a  reward  for  truthfulness,  I  suppose. 
15 


226         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Well,  I  don't  doubt  it  needs  encouragement;  so,  if 
you  will  promise  to  be  good " 

"  How  long?  " 

"  Always." 

"  No,  dear." 

"  To  the  end  of  the  ride?  " 

"  Yes,  dear." 

"  Then  you  may  come  over  this  afternoon,  and 
I'll  give  you " 

"  Go  on,  dear." 

"  A  cup  of  tea." 

"  It's  a  bargain !  "  he  said,  instantly,  declining  to 
be  teased. — "  This  isn't  your  day  at  home?  " 

"  No ;  but  I'll  have  some  others  in,  if  you  wish," 
she  smiled. 

"  It  won't  be  necessary,  thank  you ;  I  intend  to 
drink  all  the  tea,  myself." 

They  were  crossing  the  thicket-covered,  boulder- 
strewn  swamp,  through  which  an  arrogant  and 
blundering  (was  he  also  vindictive  and  jealous?) 
cavalry  commander  had  sent  his  dashing  rival  to 
lead  a  charge,  more  hopeless  and  shamefully  needless 
than  Cardigan  rode  at  Balaklava.  A  little  further 
on,  they  skirted  the  edge  of  the  Sugar-Loaf,  passed 
around  it  to  the  north,  and  swung  up  the  sharp 
acclivity  to  the  bald  knob  of  the  Baby-Loaf,  hang- 
ing high  above  the  valley  of  Bloody  Run. 

Harwood  gave  an  exclamation  of  astonishment, 
and  stopped  the  machine. 

"  What  a  picture — what  a  prospect !  "  he  ex- 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF  227 

claimed,  looking  for  the  first  time  upon  the  whole 
western  half  of  the  county,  rolling  in  wave  after 
wave  of  field  and  forest  to  the  blue  buttress  of  the 
distant  mountains. 

"  It  is  magnificent !  "  he  cried,  "  simply  magnifi- 
cent !  It  is  far  superior  to  much  that  is  famous 
abroad.  Don't  you  think  so,  Mildred?  " 

"  I  do,  indeed !  "  she  answered.  "And  you  must 
see  a  sunset,  from  here — with  the  mountain  tips  on 
fire,  and  the  whole  heavens  blazing  with  such  irides- 
cent glory,  as  I  have  not  seen  excelled  anywhere  on 
earth." 

"  You  shall  bring  me  here,  some  evening,"  he 

answered "  What  is  the  crowd  of  carriages 

near  the  big  bronze  statue?  " 

"  Tourists.  Drive  up  close ;  I  want  you  to  hear 
the  guide ;  sometimes  they  are  very  amusing." 

The  guide  was  a  small  man,  with  a  sonorous  voice, 
and  a  luxuriance  of  elocution.  He  was  telling  his 
story  just  as  he  had  told  it  hundreds  of  times ;  the 
same  inflections,  the  same  extravagant  gestures,  the 
same  oratorical  pauses  for  climax. 

"  And  so  it  was,  my  friends,"  he  was  thundering, 
sweeping  his  arm  aloft,  "  that,  at  the  end  of  this 
great  and  bloody  struggle,  where  the  chivalry  of  the 
North,  under  the  immortal  Meade,  met  the  chivalry 
of  the  South,  under  the  immortal  Lee,  there 
lay " 

"  Who  was  it  you  say  commanded  the  Rebs  ?  "  one 
of  the  tourists  sang  out. 


228         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Lee,  sir,  General  Robert  E.  Lee !  " — He  swept 
his  arm  aloft.  "  And  so  it  was,  my  friends,  that,  at 
the  end  of  this  great  and  bloody  struggle,  where  the 
chivalry  of  the  North,  under  the  immortal  Meade, 
met  the  chivalry  of  the  South,  under  the  immortal 
Lee,  there  lay  upon  this  battle-field,  bathed  in  the 
soft  and  silvery  rays  of  the  gentle  moon " 

"  Aren't  you  mistaken  about  the  moon  ?  "  an- 
other tourist  broke  in.  "  I  was  here,  and  I  don't 
remember  any  moon." 

From  his  rock  pulpit,  the  guide  looked  down 
with  condescending  eye. 

"  No,  sir,  my  friend,"  he  said,  grandiloquently ; 
"  the  official  records  of  the  War  Department,  at 
Washington,  D.  C.,  specially  mention  the  moon." — 
He  swept  his  arm  aloft.  "  And  so  it  was,  my 
friends,  that,  at  the  end  of  this  great  and  bloody 
struggle,  when  the  chivalry  of  the  North,  under 
the  immortal  Meade,  met  the  chivalry  of  the  South, 
under  the  immortal  Lee,  there  lay  upon  this  battle- 
field, bathed  in  the  soft  and  silvery  rays  of  the 
gentle  moon,  the  bodies  of  ten  thousand  dead  men, 
and  one  dead  lady!  " 

Harwood's  mirth  burst  forth,  and  he  shot  the  car 
ahead. 

"  I  must  get  away,  before  he  goes  back  and  kills 
that  poor  woman,  again.  And  is  he  the  typical 
battle-field  guide?" 

"  Oh,  no !  he  is  one  of  the  best  of  them 

There," — pointing  ahead  to  the  cross-roads  near 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF  229 

the  foot  of  the  hill,  where  a  man  was  soliciting  a 
group,  that  had  just  alighted  from  a  trolley  car — 
"  is  one  of  another  sort." 

Harwood  slowed  down,  and  stopped  close  bj. 
Even  from  afar,  the  fellow's  features  and  speech 
had  proclaimed  his  descent.  His  old  horses,  sore  in 
front,  hide-bound  and  ungroomed,  were  hitched  to 
the  dirty,  dilapidated  surrey,  with  harness  that  had 
never  seen  either  oil  or  soap ;  indeed,  soap  was  not 
specially  in  evidence  with  the  man  himself.  The 
people  he  was  trying  to  catch,  were  excursionists, — 
not  tourists — and  of  the  class  which  always  do 
everything  cheap. 

"  I  vill  dakes  you  all  ofer  the  pattle-field  for  feftj 
cents,"  he  argued. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  the  battle?  "  some 
one  asked. 

"  Vot  do  I  know !  I  know  ev'ry  dinks ;  I  vas 
lifin'  in  Meat's  het-quarders  ven  de  pattle  vas." 

A  Park  guard  came  up  the  avenue.  The  excur- 
sionist stopped  him. 

"  Officer,"  he  said,  "  this  man  wants  to  take  us 
over  the  field ;  he  declares  he  knows  all  about  it, 
that  he  lived  in  Meade's  headquarters  during  the 
battle.  Do  you  know  if  it's  true  ?  " 

A  broad  grin  over-spread  the  guard's  kindly  face. 

"  Him ! "  he  exclaimed,  pointing  his  stick  at  the 
guide,  "  him ! — lived  in  General  Meade's  headquar^- 
ters ! — why,  stranger,  that  fellow  was  still  in  Jeru- 
salem, when  the  battle  was  fought." 


230         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Are  we  likely  to  meet  others  of  these  entertain- 
ing gentlemen?  "  Harwood  asked,  as,  no  guard  in 
sight,  they  sped  along  toward  town. 

"  Plenty  of  them — everywhere ;  it  has  long  been 
a  recognized  vocation  in  Egerton." 

"  What  of  this  one  ?  "  as  they  approached  a 
group  of  carriages,  near  a  great,  bronze  figure  of 
an  open  book.  "  Is  there  another  laugh  here?  " 

"  No — this  man  knows  his  business ;  I  have  had 
him  myself,  and  there  are  no  dramatics  nor  repeti- 
tions with  him." 

"  Good !  He  is  the  chap  to  coach  me  a  bit  on 
the  battle.  Since  I  am  to  be  an  Egertonian,  it  is 
my  duty  to  know  something  of  her  great  event. — 
We  are  going  to  live  at  Fairlawn,  aren't  we,  sweet- 
heart? " 

She  smiled  up  at  him,  with  loving  eyes. 

"  Yes,  Colleton,"  she  said  softly,  "  in  sweet  fancy, 
I  shall  live  at  Fairlawn,  until  the  real  mistress 
comes." 

"  And  then  you  will  live  there,  in  fact,"  he  added, 
lightly,  as  though  it  were  already  settled,  and 
abruptly  changed  the  talk. 

They  ran  slowly  through  the  town,  and  out  across 
the  flat  toward  the  ridge. 

"  Why,  on  earth !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  are  all  these 
new  residences  built  on  this  flat,  between  the  rail- 
road and  a  stagnant  water  course,  and  under  a  high 
west  ridge — cold  and  damp  in  winter,  hot  and  humid 
and  dirty  in  summer." 


THE  LOOP  BY  THE  SUGAR-LOAF 

"  There  is  a  standing  reward,  in  town,  for  the 
answer ! "  she  laughed,  as  the  car  drew  up  at  The 
Oaks.  "  Judge  Casson  says,  it's  a  case  of  geese : 
one  led,  the  others  followed." 

"  Five  o'clock?  "  he  asked,  as  he  handed  her  out. 

She  nodded. 

"  And  you  won't  wear  a  hat  ?  " 

"  No." 

"Nor  a  veil?" 

"No!" 

"  And  you  won't  be  at  home  to  anyone  else?  " 

"  No !  "  hesitatingly. 

"  Mildred,  you're  a  dear ! — good-by !  " 

"  And,  Colleton " 

He  paused,  hand  on  throttle. 

"  We  will  have  tea  indoors,  instead  of  on  the 
lawn."  And  before  he  could  answer  she  was  gone. 

He  drove  on  to  Fairlawn.  Wilberforce  was 
standing  in  the  doorway. 

"  Been  for  a  ride?  "  he  remarked. 

Harwood  nodded. 

"  Diana,  too,  I  suppose?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Wonderful  view  from  the  edge  of  the  Baby- 
Loaf — particularly  with  a  glass." 

Harwood  looked  at  him  sharply. 

"  Just  so,  old  man,"  said  Tony.  "  Next  time 
you  kiss  your  pretty  neighbor,  get  under  cover. 
However,  be  easy ;  I  had  the  glass,  and  I'll  not  tell." 


XIV 

THE    ULTIMATUM 

EVELYN  LEICESTER  had  an  amusing,  yet,  for  her 
purpose,  a  very  unprofitable  half  hour  with  Landor, 
after  Harwood  left  them.  She  found  him  readj 
enough  to  gossip  and  flirt,  and  to  be  confidential 
about  commonplaces,  but  whenever  she  tried  to  lead 
toward  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  he  adroitly  veered  off.  It 
was,  of  course,  further  confirmation  of  her  sus- 
picions regarding  them,  but  on  that  score  she  was 
already  sufficiently  convinced.  So  she  gave  over, 
for  the  time,  and  took  him  back  to  the  house.  She 
was  not  ready  to  use  the  incident  of  the  prior  night, 
nor  even  to  let  him  know  of  her  suspicion. 

Landor  did  not  remain  at  the  Hall,  however;  he 
returned  immediately  to  the  garden,  and  passing 
out  by  the  postern  gate  he  went  through  the  grove, 
in  the  rear,  to  the  road  on  its  farther  side.  Follow- 
ing it  around  to  the  left  brought  him  on  the  path 
to  the  town,  at  the  corner  beyond  The  Oaks.  He 
had  a  faint  hope  that  the  tramp  would  be  some- 
where there,  waiting  for  a  chance  to  collect  the  other 
five-spots.  And  he  was  ve^-y  ready  to  pay  them  for 
a  little  information. 

He  had  fled  from  the  window,  the  instant  the 
light  went  on,  never  doubting  that  the  other  would 
do  likewise.  Instead,  when  he  had  regained  his 

232 


THE  ULTIMATUM  233 

room  (sneaking  into  the  house  by  the  basement 
door,  which  he  had  used  for  exit)  the  lights  still 
burned  in  the  Gascoyne  drawing-room.  Remem- 
bering that  a  field-glass,  he  had  been  using  that  day, 
lay  on  his  dressing-table,  he  had  focused  it  just  in 
time  to  see  the  tramp  bow  to  Mrs.  Gascoyne  and 
then  drop  from  the  window.  What  did  it  mean? 
— Why  had  he  lingered? — had  he  confessed,  or  had 
he  simply  been  pleading  off?  He  had  been  about 
to  venture  out  in  pursuit,  when  the  noise  of  some 
one  moving  about  in  the  hall,  deterred  him. 

But,  now,  the  soldier  of  the  Imperial  Guard  was 
not  in  the  grove,  waiting  for  his  five-spots,  nor  was 
he  on  the  road;  so  Landor  went  on  to  the  town. 
Here,  he  spent  the  rest  of  the  morning  wandering 
through  the  back  streets,  then  through  the  main 
ones,  searching  everywhere, — and  vainly.  And  all 
the  while,  there  went  with  him  the  problem,  how 
to  handle  the  matter,  if  Mrs.  Gascoyne  had  forced 
his  burglar  to  confess. 

On  his  way  back  to  Fairlawn,  the  glittering  show- 
window  of  a  jewelry  shop  caught  his  eyes. 

"  Huh !  I  am  stupid !  "  he  muttered,  stopping, 
and  looking  it  over. 

From  its  location  and  general  appearance,  it 
likely  was  the  principal  one  of  the  town.  He  went 
in. 

"  Was  it  here,"  he  asked  the  young  man  at  the 
work  table,  behind  the  counter,  "  that  Mrs.  Gas- 
coyne left  the  silver  snuff-box,  this  morning?  " 


THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Yes,  sir ;  but  I'm  sorry  it  isn't  finished,"  said 
the  clerk,  who  had  recognized  Landor  as  one  of  the 
Fairlawn  guests.  "  Did  you  wish  to  take  it  along 
out  to  her?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  know  she  wants  it  this  afternoon,  and 
as  I'm  going  by  The  Oaks,  I  thought  to  save  her 
the  trouble  of  sending  for  it."  He  turned  away, 
then  stopped.  "  Will  it  be  much  work  to  remove 
the  scratches?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  no,  sir — I  shall  have  the  box  ready  by  two 
o'clock,  for  when  I  promised  it." 

"  Let  me  see  it,  a  moment,  please !  "  said  Landor. 

"  It's  a  queer  old  thing,  sure  enough !  "  taking  the 
box  from  a  drawer  in  his  table,  and  passing  it  across 
the  case.  "  I  never  saw  a  Scotch-pebble,  before. 
Are  there  really  such  pebbles  over  there — picked  up 
any  old  place?  " 

"  I  confess  I  don't  know,"  Landor  answered, 
opening  the  lid  and  examining  the  under  side ;  "  but 
they  are  rather  handsome  for  anyone's  finding, 
don't  you  think?  " 

"  Rather !  I'd  like  to  tumble  upon  a  hundred  or 
two  of  them ! "  the  clerk  laughed. 

Landor  smiled — but  not  with  the  clerk.  The 
marks  were  in  the  lid,  as  he  had  remembered — as 
he  himself  had  scratched  them  there,  with  the  point 
of  a  knife-blade,  one  evening,  long  ago. 

"  They  are  not  deep ;  you  can  rub  them  out  quite 
easily,"  he  said,  returning  the  box.  "  Thank  you ! 
and  you  don't  need  to  mention  to  Mrs.  Gascoyne 


THE  ULTIMATUM  235 

that  I  tried  to  take  it  out  to  her;  a  courtesy  at- 
tempted but  not  executed,  you  know," — with  easy 
confidentialness — "  is  often  misunderstood." 

"  Mum's  the  word,  sir !  "  said  the  clerk,  with  a 
sly  wink ;  "  I  understand." 

Having  no  idea  what  the  clerk  understood,  but 
with  complacent  satisfaction,  Landor  went  back  to 
Fairlawn.  The  tramp  was  eliminated;  he  had  no 
further  need  for  him.  It  mattered  little,  now,  even 
if  Mrs.  Gascoyne  had  learned  the  truth  as  to  last 
night's  raid.  The  snuff-box  clinched  the  identifica- 
tion. He  would  pay  her  a  little  visit,  that  afternoon. 

At  the  Hall,  a  wire  awaited  him,  from  his  office 
in  Northumberland: 

"  Firm  telegraphs  for  particulars  of  Hampton  Bonds,  date 
of  draft,  number,  drawer  and  drawee  Banks.  No  entries 
on  books.  Can't  find  any  memoranda.  National  says  draft 
not  by  it.  What  answer  for  Firm,?  " 

He  went  to  the  table  in  the  library,  and  drew 
over  the  pad  of  yellow  blanks  for  answer ;  then  sat 
frowning  and  narrow-eyed,  in  thought. 

They  were  closing  in  on  him.  Unless  he  could 
lull  their  suspicion,  they  were  sure  to  send  immedi- 
ately some  one  to  Northumberland  to  investigate, 
and  the  facts  would  be  quickly  uncovered.  After 
that,  the  police 

He  needed  several  days — the  rest  of  the  week  at 
least — to  work  out  his  salvation.  Mrs.  Gascoyne 
was  not  likely  to  yield  to-day,  nor  even  to-morrow, 
maybe.  Furthermore,  he  foresaw  difficulty  in  secur- 


236        THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

ing  an  interview;  there  was  very  small  possibility 
that  she  would  be  at  home  to  him ;  so  it  was  to  catch 
her  on  the  wing  or  unawares. 

Above  all,  must  he  avoid  the  appearance  of  haste. 
She  was  sure  to  assume  he  was  after  money,  but  let 
her  get  the  idea  that  he  was  pressed  for  it,  and  she 
would  hold  out  to  the  last  moment.  And  then, 
there  was  the  chance, — remote,  to  be  sure,  yet  pos- 
sible— that  she  would  laugh  in  his  face,  and  bid  him 
be  gone  and  do  his  worst ;  in  which  event,  he,  in  his 
haste,  was  remitted  to  the  Gordon.  Indeed,  it  might 
not  be  amiss  to  prepare  her  for  an  avowal ;  he  would 
see  to  it,  after  luncheon. 

The  ink  had  dried  on  his  pen;  he  dipped  it  in 
again,  and  wrote — to  his  own  office,  that  he  would 
reply  to  the  Firm's  inquiry. 

That  to  the  latter  read: — 

"  Hampton's  own  draft  endorsed  to  your  order.  No 
memoranda  retained  as  to  same.  He  won't  be  in  town 
before  Monday.  Meanwhile,  I  am  mailing  to-day  my  check 
for  proceeds.  Return,  if  draft  received  first." 

He  read  it  over  heedfully.  If  that  did  not  win, 
nothing  could  win.  Of  course,  he  had  not  the  bal- 
ance in  the  National  to  meet  the  check,  but  that 
would  not  develop  until  it  went  through  for  collec- 
tion; which,  from  New  York,  would  not  be  before 
Monday — and  much  to  his  luck,  the  National  abso- 
lutely refused  to  give  any  information  concerning 
a  check,  or  other  commercial  paper  drawn  on  it, 
until  the  instrument  was  duly  presented  for  pay- 


THE  ULTIMATUM  237 

merit  across  the  counter,  or  through  the  Clear- 
ing-House. Even  if  the  Firm  were  to  forward  the 
check  direct  to  the  National  for  collection,  with  in- 
structions to  wire  if  paid,  they  could  not  hear  before 
noon,  Saturday,  which  with  the  half  holiday,  was 
little  better  than  Monday — and  by  Monday,  he 
should  have  the  cash  to  meet  it. 

He  took  a  blank  check  from  his  pocket  book,  drew 
it  for  the  full  amount  due  the  Firm,  and,  inclosing 
with  it  a  note  confirming  the  wire,  tossed  the  en- 
velope into  the  mail  basket.  Then  he  sealed  the 
two  messages  in  another  envelope,  and  rang  for  the 
butler. 

A  step  sounded  in  the  hall,  and  stopped  in  the 
doorway  behind  him. 

"  Here,  William,"  he  said,  holding  out  the  en- 
velope, and  without  looking  around,  "  send  this  to 
the  telegraph  office,  at  once — give  the  change  to  the 
boy." 

"  What  is  there  about  me  that  suggests  the  but- 
ler? "  asked  Miss  Gordon. 

"  Hello,  Hilda !  "  he  exclaimed,  jumping  up,  and 
going  over  to  her,  "  I  was  just  thinking  of  you." 

"  And  calling  me  William !  sometimes,  my  dear 
boy,  you  are  a  disgracefully  clumsy  liar." 

"  Isn't  that  rather  to  my  credit?  " 

"  I  said,  sometimes,"  she  retorted ;  "  ordinarily, 
you  are  exceedingly  clever  at  it — as  becomes  long 
practice." 

"  Lies   and  hypocrisy   are   the   coin   current   of 


238        THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

society ! "  he  smiled.  "  Truth  and  sincerity  are 
the  counterfeit  and  interdicted." 

William  entered,  received  the  envelope,  and  an- 
nounced luncheon. 

"  And  was  it  with  such  coin,"  she  demanded, 
"  that  you  bought  your  way  into  us?  " 

"  Is  such  coin  your  currency  ?  " 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders,  and  raised  her  pretty 
eyebrows. 

"  Come  on !  "  she  said,  laughing,  "  quit  this  cheap 
philosophy,  and  let  us  see  what  the  Queen  of  Egypt 
has  sent  in.  I  plead  a  most  unfeminine  hunger." 

But  it  was  not  Landor's  purpose  to  be  with  her  at 
table — his  play  called  for  a  locale  more  sequestered 
than  a  crowd  of  jollying  intimates.  So  he  left  her 
at  the  dining-room  door,  and  went  back  to  the 
library;  waiting  there  until  the  places  beside  her 
were  occupied. 

He  joined  her  immediately,  however,  when  they 
arose. 

"  Go  with  me  for  a  little  stroll,"  he  said ;  "  I 
looked  for  you  this  morning,  but  you  were  off  on 
a  joy-ride  with  Wilberforce." 

"  Don't  call  it  a  joy-ride  where  Tony  hears 
you !  "  she  laughed.  "  Six  miles  an  hour — stopped 
by  five  guards — threatened  by  two — ran  by  the  last 
with  a  courteous  remark  about  a  locality  of  intense 
heat.  Oh,  it  was  delicious !  I  wished  for  you." 

"  I  wished  for  myself,  when  I  found  I  was  left 
behind!" 


THE  ULTIMATUM  239 

"  Why  didn't  you  improve  the  morning  by  culti- 
vating Evelyn  Leicester  ?  "  she  asked.  "  While  the 
smile  of  her  favor  is  upon  you,  better  nail  it  fast, 
as  Tony  would  say." 

"  I  nailed !  "  he  laughed.  "  For  some  reason  I 
can't  guess,  she  even  displaced  Harwood  for  me, 
when  I  chanced  upon  them  in  the  garden — after 
you  had  run  off  with  Wilberforce. — I  wonder,  is 
that  going  to  be  a  match?  " 

"  Never ;  it  is  idealized  friendship — the  genuine 
thing,  too."  Then  she  laughed.  "  Man-like,  you 
have  missed  the  real  match  that  is  coming." 

"The  real  match!"  he  echoed.  "Here — at 
Fairlawn?  " 

"  Yes,  here  at  Fairlawn." 

"  Mrs.  Leicester?  " 

"  No." 

"  Harwood?  "  he  exclaimed. 

She  nodded. 

He  stared  at  her,  incredulously. 

"  You're  very  blind !  "  she  laughed — "  it's  been 
going  on  ever  since  we  came  here,  though  it  doubt- 
less started  before  then." 

"  I  pass ! "  he  said,  throwing  up  his  hands. 
"  Which  of  you  girls  is  it?  " 

"Which  would  you  think?" 

"  I  think  no  better  than  I  see.  I  only  know  that 
I  do  not  want  it  to  be  you" 

She  gave  him  a  quick  smile  of  favor. 

"  I  believe  you  are  actually  serious — no,  no,  not 


240         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

about  me!  about  not  really  knowing.  It  is  none  of 
us. — It  is  Mrs.  Gascoyne." 

For  a  moment,  Landor  looked  at  her  in  blank 
amazement;  then  he  smiled.  It  was  preposterous, 
of  course — with  him  here!  Nevertheless,  the  mere 
idea  might  be  of  service. 

"  You  astonish  me,"  he  said ;  "  how  did  you  get 
any  such  notion  ?  " 

"  How  does  one  usually  get  it  ?  " 

"  Visually — inferentially — intuitively." 

"  Together  with — in  this  particular  case — 
propinquity  and  uncommon  physical  attractive- 
ness," she  added. 

"  And  you  think  the  sentiment  is  mutual ;  that 
she  encourages  him  ?  " 

"  Because  a  woman  admires  a  man,  it  does  not 
follow  that  she  encourages  him." 

"  Nor  the  converse,  either,"  he  laughed ;  "  but 
that  does  not  answer  my  question." 

"  It  is  very  evident  she  doesn't  discourage  him, 
isn't  it?  " 

"  Nor  does  it  follow  from  that,  that  she  encour- 
ages him." 

"  Don't  be  so  literal.     You  know  what  I  mean." 

"  Frankly,  Hilda,  I  don't.     Suppose  you  tell  me." 

"  I'll  do  nothing  of  the  sort ;  be  satisfied  with  my 
prophecy.  Moreover,  you  have  seen,  or  could  have 
seen  quite  as  much  as  I." 

"  Oh,  very  well !  I'm  not  especially  interested  in 
others'  love  affairs." 


THE  ULTIMATUM 

She  looked  intently  at  the  tips  of  her  pretty 
fingers. 

"  Only  in  my  own,"  he  appended. 

"  Are  you  in  love  ?  "  she  asked,  raising  her  eyes 
suddenly  to  his,  then  dropping  them  quickly. 

He  pulled  up  sharply ;  this  was  going  altogether 
too  fast ;  he  had  no  intention  to  be  manoeuvred  into 
a  proposal,  to-day.  He  would  make  a  quick,  spec- 
tacular play,  and  then  retreat. 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  answered ;  "  that  is,  I'm  not 
sure;  I'm  afraid  of  myself." 

She  sent  him  another  fleeting  glance  of  timid 
encouragement. 

"  And  so  long  as  I  am  afraid  of  myself,"  he  went 
on,  "  I  have  no  right  to  speak  of  love  to  any  one." 

He  looked  down  at  her  tenderly,  hesitatingly ; 
then  shut  his  lips  tight,  threw  back  his  shoulders 
determinedly,  and  gazed  hard  into  the  distance,  as 
one  struggling  with  sore  temptation. 

He  would  have  been  startled,  indeed,  had  he  seen 
the  cold  and  questioning  eyes  that  watched  him ; 
eyes  that  changed  instantly,  however,  to  warmth 
and  trust,  when  he  turned  toward  her;  and  she 
gave  him  her  hand,  as  though  she  understood,  and 
had  full  faith  in  the  future.  At  the  same  time,  she 
led — very  tactfully,  as  it  seemed  to  him — the  talk 
from  themselves,  and  matters  purely  personal; 
whither  he  was  quite  content  to  be  led. 

The  situation  had  shaped  itself  exactly  to  his 
desire;  she  was  trembling  to  give  herself;  a  word, 
16 


242         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

and  she  was  his.  Indeed,  his  so  completely  that 
she  would  gladly  supply  the  money ;  urge  it  on  him, 
if  he  but  casually  intimated  his  need.  And  he  should 
have  afforded  her  the  opportunity  forthwith,  save 
for  the  fact  that  it  would  lead  to  other  complica- 
tions later ;  which  was  not  the  case  if  he  obtained  it 
from  Mrs.  Gascoyne.  At  all  events,  he  could  face 
with  equanimity  now,  the  coming  Monday  and  pay- 
ment of  the  outstanding  check. 

They  had  gone  out  by  the  postern  gate,  and 
around,  by  the  road  and  the  avenue,  to  the  front 
of  Fairlawn.  As  they  turned  in,  Wilberforce  was 
coming  down  the  steps. 

"  Shake  along,  you  two !  "  he  called ;  "  we're  off 
for  another  pilgrims'  progress  over  a  few  more  of 
these  sanctified,  six-miles-per  speed-ways." 

"  Miss  Gordon  will  go,"  said  Landor ;  "  I've 
some  letters  to  write." 

"  Jostle  yourself,  then,  Hilda !  the  rest  are  ready. 
— Better  come  and  join  your  tears  with  ours,  Lan- 
dor; I  understand  that  the  tomb-stones  and 
mausoleums,  at  this  end  of  the  line,  are  especially 
conspicuous  examples  of  lugubriousness,  not  to 
mention  lamentable  taste,  and  misspent  dollars — 
you  won't  come?  well  stay,  then,  and  weep  alone." 

Tony's  pilgrims'  progress  had  swept  the  house 
almost  bare  of  guests.  Harwood,  himself,  was  occu- 
pied with  a  bundle  of  letters  and  papers  in  the 
library,  and  did  not  look  up  as  Landor  stopped  in 
the  doorway.  Down  in  the  billiard-room,  Talbot 


THE  ULTIMATUM 

Vanbrugh  was  occupying  two  chairs,  and  sleeping 
the  sleep  of  exhaustion  and  boredom,  resultant  of 
the  morbidly  introspective  and  cerebrally  vivisective 
fiction,  of  a  particularly  pharisaical  and  smug 
monthly  magazine,  which,  with  pages  curled  indig- 
nantly, lay  on  the  floor,  avoided  even  by  the  waste- 
basket.  Rosalind  Spottswood,  the  only  other  who 
had  not  gone  in  the  car,  was  nowhere  to  be  seen ;  so 
he  chose  a  new  novel  from  the  table  in  the  hall,  and 
went  up  to  his  room. 

He  intended  to  take  up  with  Mrs.  Gascoyne,  later 
in  the  afternoon,  the  matter  of  the  snuff-box — 
whether  he  should  also,  at  the  same  time,  press  on  to 
the  finality,  assert  unequivocally  her  identity,  and 
demand  the  money,  would  depend  upon  her  attitude. 
If  she  weakened  over  the  box,  he  would  proceed ;  but 
if  she  fought  back  with  good-natured  ridicule,  as 
was  likely,  he  would  go  just  far  enough  for  her  to 
infer  his  purpose,  and  then  let  her  have  a  night  to 
consider  the  situation  as  affecting  herself,  if  she 
refused  to  buy  his  silence.  To-day,  should  be  the 
final  investment,  and  the  summons  to  surrender; 
to-morrow,  the  assault  along  the  entire  line  if  the 
summons  were  declined. 

His  room  was  on  the  side  of  the  Hall  toward  The 
Oaks;  he  drew  a  chair  to  the  window,  and  fell  to 
watching  for  Mrs.  Gascoyne.  Since  the  preliminary 
essential  was  an  opportunity  to  speak  with  her 
alone,  and  the  sure  way  was  to  surprise  her  where 
she  could  not  escape,  his  hope  was  that  she  would 


244         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

come  out  on  the  lawn  under  the  trees ;  then  he  could 
go  around  to  the  rear  entrance  to  The  Oaks,  and 
get  between  her  and  the  house. 

The  afternoon  marched  slowly  by  his  window 
toward  the  west.  She  was  at  home,  he  knew;  he 
had  caught  a  glimpse  of  her  on  an  upper  piazza, 
soon  after  he  began  the  vigil.  Five  o'clock  was 
her  tea  hour,  which  likely  meant  visitors  from  town. 
He  waited  until  half -after- f  our ;  then  he  laid  aside 
the  book,  passed  a  brush  across  his  hair,  whisked  a 
bit  of  dust  from  his  coat,  and  went  briskly  down  to 
The  Oaks.  He  must  make  the  effort,  despite  its 
seeming  hopelessness.  At  least,  it  would  be  a  con- 
fession of  fear,  if  she  refused  to  see  him. 

It  is  rather  disquieting,  any  time,  to  go  to  a  house 
knowing  that  one  is  unwelcome;  but  to  have  to 
charge  up  to  it  by  a  long  pathway,  under  the  con- 
centrated fire  of  a  battery  of  windows,  is  distinctly 
unpleasant;  and  more  especially  so,  if  one  antici- 
pates being  repulsed  at  the  door,  and  obliged  to  re- 
tire under  the  fire  of  that  same  battery,  now  manned 
by  grinning  faces.  And  Landor  felt  distinct  relief 
at  the  respite,  which  came  when  he  reached  the 
piazza,  and  laid  hand  on  the  bell. 

With  most  commendable  promptness,  the  droopy- 
eyed  butler  responded. 

"  Mrs.  Gascoyne  is  at  home,"  he  said,  presenting 
the  silver  tray  when  he  saw  that  the  visitor  would 
use  a  card — and  bowing  him  into  the  drawing-room. 

Landor  was  so  surprised,  that,  for  a  moment  he 


THE  ULTIMATUM  245 

actually  had  stared  at  Brown,  and  fumbled  in  the 
wrong  pocket  for  his  card-case.  He  would  have 
been  surprised,  even  more,  had  he  known  that  to 
only  himself  and  Harwood  was  she  at  home — him- 
self, if  he  came  before  five  o'clock ;  Harwood,  any 
time. 

He  went  straight  to  the  crystal  cabinet — the 
snuff-box  was  there,  down  on  the  lowest  shelf,  half 
hidden  by  the  little  fan,  and  lying  exactly  as  when 
he  saw  it  yesterda}'. 

The  trail  of  a  gown,  in  the  hall,  brought  him 
quickly  around  and  toward  the  door. 

Mildred  greeted  him  as  though  he  were  a  welcome 
guest. 

"  It's  very  nice  of  you  to  come  again,  so  soon," 
she  said,  giving  him  her  hand,  and  motioning  him 
to  a  chair,  near  the  one  she  chose  with  the  light 
behind  her. 

"  I  am  delighted  to  come !  "  he  smiled,  meeting 
what  he  took  to  be  sarcasm  in  her  words,  with  the 
double  meaning  of  his  own. 

"To  see  the  snuff-box!"  she  laughed. — "Oh, 
I've  not  forgot !  "  —holding  up  the  key — "  there, 
go  and  look  at  it." 

Had  he  not  seen  the  box  at  the  watchmaker's 
that  morning,  he  might  very  well  have  been  deceived 
by  this  ingenuous  willingness.  As  it  was,  however, 
it  simply  recoiled  upon  her — it  was  so  palpably  a 
play. 

"  You   mustn't   think  it  was  that,   only,  which 


246         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

brought  me,"  he  replied  lightly,  as  he  went  over  to 
the  cabinet. 

She  followed  him  with  a  frown. 

"  I'm  vain  enough  to  fancy  you  may  have  come 
to  see  me,  too,"  she  answered,  but  with  no  reflex  of 
the  frown  showing  in  her  tones. 

"  It  isn't  vanity  to  fancy  the  truth,"  he  reph'ed, 
taking  out  the  box,  and  carrying  it  to  the  rear 
window. 

She  watched  him  curiously,  as  he  examined  it, 
turning  it  slowly,  and  flashing  the  light  along  the 
polished  cone. 

"  May  I  open  it?  "  he  asked,  looking  up  suddenly 
at  her. 

"  Why  surely !  "  with  the  inflection  of  surprise. 
"  There  isn't  anything  in  it." 

"  I  didn't  imagine  there  would  be,"  smiling 
blandly. 

He  turned  back  the  lid  and  held  it  up  to  the 
window.  It  was  as  he  thought: — free  of  scratch 
or  mark.  And  the  j  ob  was  well  done ;  even  a  cloud 
of  tarnish  had  been  spread  over  the  silver,  so  that, 
to  all  appearances,  it  had  not  been  touched  for 
weeks,  with  so  much  as  a  cleaning  cloth. 

He  came  back  and  sat  down,  bringing  the  snuff- 
box with  him. 

"  It  is  not  a  mate  of  the  one  I  had  in  mind,"  he 
remarked. 

"  Yes  ?  "  she  said  with  mild  interest. 

"  In   fact," — leaning  back   and  looking  at  her 


THE  ULTIMATUM  247 

through  half-closed  eyes,  "  it  is  the  very  one  itself." 

"  Yes?  "  again,  and  with  the  same  perfunctorily 
polite  inflection. 

"  Pardon  me !  do  I  bore  you  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all,"  she  smiled.  "  I  should  be  glad  to 
know  something  about  the  old  trinket.  I  have 
often  wondered  where  the  Judsons  got  it,  and 
whether  it  hasn't  a  history." 

"  Then  the  box  is  not  yours  ?  " 

"  Mine !  "  she  inflected — "  Oh !  you  don't  under- 
stand, Mr.  Landor.  This  is  not  my  house;  I  rent 
it,  furnished,  from  the  Judsons,  who  are  now  in 
Europe.  Do  I  look  of  those  who  buy  gilt  and  glass 
cabinets  ?  " 

"  No,  you  don't ;  but  then,  as  some  profound 
thinker  remarked  several  years  back — and  a  few 
others  since — '  looks  are  deceptive.'  For  instance : 
to  look  at  the  under  side  of  this  lid,  one  should  never 
imagine,  that  a  few  hours  ago  it  not  only  showed 
scarcely  a  trace  of  tarnish,  but  also  had  cut  into  it, 
as  by  the  point  of  a  knife,  a  date  and  a  word  in 
Greek." 

"  And  continuing  the  *  for  instance,' '  she 
laughed,  "  one  should  never  imagine,  to  look  at  you, 
that  you  were  jesting." 

It  was  altogether  evident  that  the  finality  was 
not  to  be  to-day.  She  had  determined  to  withstand 
him,  and  threats  would  not  move  her  now.  It  was, 
therefore,  to  show  her  the  futility  of  denial,  and 
then  to  wait  until  to-morrow. 


248         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  I'm  not  jesting,"  he  said  abruptly.  "  I  saw 
this  box  at  noon,  at  the  shop  in  town  where  you 
left  it,  to  have  the  marks  on  the  lid  removed.  I 
had  it  in  my  hands,  and  the  date  and  the  Greek 
letters  were  there  then — now,  they  are  erased.  Let 
me  ask  why,  if  it  be  the  Judsons',  you  should  have 
had  this  done?  " 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Landor,  granting  all  that,  I  still 
seem  to  miss  the  point,"  she  said. 

He  laughed  gently,  and,  getting  up,  leaned  his 
elbow  on  the  mantle  and  looked  down  at  her. 

"  My  dear  young  woman,"  he  said,  "  don't  you 
think  it  is  about  time  you  cease  this  masquerade,  at 
least  with  me?  " 

"  What  masquerade?  "  she  asked,  sweetly. 

His  answer  was  a  shrug,  and  a  lift  of  the  eye- 
brows. 

"  And  why  cease  it,  at  least  with  you  ?  "  she 
quoted. 

Another  shrug,  and  a  tolerant  smile. 

"  And  what  has  the  Judson  snuff-box  to  do  with 
it?" 

"  You  know  very  well  the  point  as  to  the  snuff- 
box, and  what  it,  and  the  inscription  prove,"  he 
replied. 

"  Since  I  know,  it  will  violate  no  confidence  if  you 
specify.  What  do  they  prove  ?  " 

"  Your  identity,"  he  answered  curtly.  "  But 
box  aside,  you  surely  must  be  demented  to  fancy 
that  I  should  not  recognize  you.  It  seems  absurd 


THE  ULTIMATUM  249 

that  you  could  have  hoodwinked  me,  even  for  a 
moment,  notwithstanding  the  extraordinary  change 
in  your  personal  appearance — and  your  passing 
from  girl  to  woman " 

She  had  been  playing  her  part  with  an  air  of 
puzzled  surprise.  Now,  perceiving  that  he  still 
hesitated  to  declare  the  identity,  she  suddenly  as- 
sumed the  offensive. 

"  It  is  all  very  incoherent,"  she  said ;  "  but  I  infer 
that  you  are  back  to  that  fanciful  resemblance  you 
were  raving  about  yesterday  ?  " 

"  Your  perspicacity  is  amazingly  quick !  "  he  re- 
marked. 

"  And  yours  is  amazingly  slow,"  she  replied.  "  I 
thought  that  I  had  disposed  of  your  silly  notion, 
and  also  had  indicated  that  the  subject  was  distaste- 
ful. I  don't  care  for  persistently  disagreeable  per- 
sons, so  be  good  enough  to  talk  of  something  else, 
or " 

"  Thank  you ! "  he  laughed ;  "  I'm  going,  in  a 
moment.  I  intend  to  give  you  to-night  to  sleep 
over  the  matter — there  can't  be  the  least  question 
as  to  your  real  identity;  and,  somehow,  I  am  per- 
suaded that  you  would  be  rather  averse  to  having 
it  proclaimed,  here — to  your  new  friends  of  Eger- 
ton,  and  Fairlawn.  You  understand?" 

"  Meaning  that  for  a  consideration  you  will  not 
proclaim  it?  " 

"  Your  wonderful  perspicacity,  again ! "  he 
answered. 


250         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Yes,  I  understand !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  You  are 
just  a  common  blackmailer;  attempting  to  extort 
money  because  you  take  me  for  another  over  whom 
you  hold  some  nasty  secret."  She  crossed  swiftly 
to  the  bell.  "  Will  you  go  at  once,  or  shall  I  have 
the  grooms  eject  you?  " 

He  smiled  placidly. 

"  I  shall  expect  your  answer,  not  later  than  the 
hunt  to-morrow,"  he  said,  and  bowed  himself  out 
with  exaggerated  deference. 


XV 

THE  ANSWER 

BUZZARD  HILL  lay  several  miles  to  the  south- 
east of  Egerton.  Untamed  and  surly,  it  scowled 
across,  at  its  pleasant-faced  and  courteous  neighbor 
hill  on  the  other  side  of  Boulder  Creek,  steadily 
refusing  to  be  either  friendly  or  polite.  It  was 
aggressively  inhospitable,  and  aggressively  content 
to  be.  All  the  years  that  the  neighbor  had  been 
submitting,  complaisantly,  to  the  ways  of  civiliza- 
tion, the  Buzzard  had  resisted,  strong  in  its  inacces- 
sibility, and  a  nature  rough  as  its  rocks,  gnarled  as 
its  timber,  and  gloomy  and  sullen  as  the  blackness 
of  its  pines.  Those  only,  whom  it  received  toler- 
antly, were  preyers  and  scavengers,  human,  beast, 
and  bird.  From  the  last,  it  had  its  name. 

To  Egerton,  Buzzard  Hill  implied  the  scum  of 
things-living,  wherein  the  natural  order  was  re- 
versed:— the  best  were  animal,  the  worst,  human. 
Let  there  be  depredations  in  the  outskirts  of  the 
town,  the  Hill  was  responsible;  let  there  be  carrion 
for  birds,  the  Hill  supplied  them;  let  some  foul- 
odored  and  greasy  thing  that  bore  man's  debased 
image,  go  slouching  along  the  streets,  driving 
a  limping,  pain-racked,  starving  horse,  in  a  wagon 
piled  with  bones  and  refuse,  his  destination  was 
among  the  degenerates  who  consorted,  somewhere, 
in  the  Hill.  251 


252         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Such  was  the  Buzzard,  as  it  touched  the  body- 
politic  ;  and  the  latter  had  punished  it  with  its  name 
of  disrepute.  Yet,  in  truth,  like  many  reputations, 
bad  as  well  as  good,  based  upon  rank  ignorance  and 
inherited  prejudice,  it  was  little  deserved  and  mainly 
false.  The  town  judged  it  in  the  standards  of  the 
plain;  therein,  lay  the  injustice.  The  Buzzard  was 
a  topographic  anomaly.  It  was,  really,  a  lost  spur 
of  the  mountain  range,  ten  miles  to  the  west ;  where 
the  rest  of  its  comrades  had  moved  front-into- 
line,  and  lay  encamped  across  the  entire  horizon. 

Save  the  members  of  the  Hunt,  it  is  very  doubtful 
whether,  in  the  course  of  twelve  months,  a  single 
Egertonian  passed  the  line  of  dense  pines  that 
marked  the  base  of  the  Hill ;  with  the  former,  how- 
ever, it  was  the  favorite  meet.  Here,  a  fox  was 
always  sure;  the  find  quick;  the  scent  fresh.  And 
what  though  the  going  were  rough  and  dangerous, 
and  that  every  year  some  one  died  the  death ;  it  all 
went  with  the  sport.  As  Judge  Casson,  long  ago, 
paraphrased : — 

"  For  how  can  man   die   happier, 

Than  to  the  music  of  the  pack, 
With  the  fox  in  view,  before  him, 
And  the  field,  in  line,  at  his  back  ? " 

Mildred  Gascoyne  rode  to  covert  with  the  Fair- 
lawn  party.  She  went  with  them,  because  Harwood 
wished  it ;  but  it,  also,  was  notice  to  Landor  that 
she  was  not  to  be  deterred  by  his  immediate  presence. 

"  Hello,  everybody !  "  she  called,  as  they  came  up, 


THE  ANSWER  253 

swinging  her  crop  in  salute,  and  taking  place  beside 
Evelyn  Leicester,  who,  with  Wilberforce,  was  in  the 
lead.  A  swift  glance  had  shown  that  neither  Har- 
wood  nor  Landor  was  with  them ;  and  she  wondered. 

"Hail  to  the  pilot!"  said  Wilberforce;  "I'm 
ready  to  follow  her,  henceforth  and  forever,  amen." 

"  She  wouldn't  be  dignified  by  the  following !  " 
Evelyn  laughed. 

"  You  see,  Diana,  it's  this  way :  "  he  went  on, 
"  Harwood  was  delayed,  preparing  the  pearl  in 
seltzer  for  Cleopatra,  so  he  picked  me  to  guide  the 
bummers  to  the  reunion.  He  said  I  was  the  only 
one  in  the  bunch,  with  sense  enough  to  ask  the  way, 
if  we  got  lost." 

"  Which  of  us  is  deified?  "  Mildred  asked,  turning 
to  Mrs.  Leicester. 

"Both!"  exclaimed  Tony,  "both!  —  you're 
Diana,  however." 

"  And  who  am  I?  "  said  Evelyn. 

"  You  are  Venus — for  further  information  in- 
quire of  Colleton  Harwood,  Esquire — he  bestowed 
the  names.  I,  myself,  didn't  draw  any — I  couldn't 
decide  between  Mars  and  Actseon." 

"Tony!"  cried  Evelyn.  "You'll  shock  Mrs. 
Gascoyne." 

"  Oh,  no ! "  Mildred  laughed,  "  I  quite  under- 
stand, that  Mr.  Wilberforce  is  the  official  harlequin 
at  Fairlawn;  and,  at  any  rate,  my  blushes  are 
saved,  for  I  never  heard  of  Actseon." 

"  Then  don't  let  curiosity  drive  you  to  investi- 


254         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

gate,"  said  Mrs.  Leicester.  "  And  as  for  you, 
Tony,  you  have  overlooked  the  rule,  that  when  the 
new  pilot  takes  the  wheel  the  old  one  retires." 

"  Must  I  go,  Diana?  "  he  asked,  with  smiling 
impertinence.  "  Ah,  I  see  the  light  of  mercy  in 
those  grey  eyes !  I  stay  ?  " 

Mildred  nodded.  "  Upon  the  distinct  condition, 
however,  that  you  don't  talk  mythology." 

"  And  that,  when  you  do  talk,"  Evelyn  added, 
"  you  use  the  deaf-and-dumb  language." 

To  detour  the  town,  meant  to  double  the  distance 
to  the  meet,  so  Mildred  led  through  it;  up  West 
Street  to  Centre  Square,  thence  out  South  Street, 
and  down  the  pike  to  the  Avenue. — All  the  while, 
she  listened  for  the  rap  of  Nero's  hoofs  behind  her. 
What  had  delayed  Harwood ! — What  of  Landor ! — 
Did  it  mean,  that  one  had  detained  the  other? — 
Trouble? 

On  the  crest  of  the  knoll,  where  a  Corps  com- 
mander, the  king  of  them  all,  now  rides  his  great, 
bronze  charger,  Mildred  swung  around  in  saddle  and 
looked  back  across  the  valley,  to  the  ridge  over 
which  they  had  just  come.  As  she  did  so.  Harwood 
and  Fordyce  passed  the  summit,  and,  catching  sight 
of  the  party,  waved  their  hats  and  set  out  in  pursuit. 

A  sly  smile  twinkled  in  Mrs.  Leicester's  black 
eyes. 

"  Our  host  is  coming,  I  see,"  she  remarked,  glanc- 
ing over  her  shoulder  to  be  sure  that  Wilberforce — 
who  had  dropped  behind — was  out  of  earshot ;  "  an- 


THE  ANSWER  255 

other  penalty  for  being  mistress,  as  well  as  master, 
of  Fairlawn." 

Mildred  bent  down,  and  flicked  a  bit  of  dust  from 
Rajah's  mane.  The  sudden  joy  in  her  face  was  not 
for  others'  seeing.  It  was  true !  her  trust  was  vindi- 
cated. There  was  no  bond  on  Harwood — he  was 
free. 

"  We,  down  here,  were  led  to  believe  that  the 
mistress  had  been  chosen,  and  was  soon  to  come,"  she 
laughed. 

"  Northumberland  wouldn't  have  made  any  such 
mistake,"  Mrs.  Leicester  laughed  back,  offering  no 
pretence  of  not  understanding.  "  It  knows  he  has 
been  my  big  brother  since  our  dancing-school  days. 
It's  a  shame,  some  nice  girl  does  not  land  him — 
heaven  knows !  enough  of  them  have  tried." 

"  Doubtless,  there  is  their  failure." 

"  No,  I  shouldn't  say  so !  If  Colleton  Harwood 
wanted  a  woman,  he  wouldn't  be  frightened  off  be- 
cause he  saw  she  wanted  him — and  no  more,  if  he 
saw  she  didn't  want  him.  He  has  a  fine  way  of 
getting  what  he  wants." 

"  Then  it  is,  that  he  does  not  want  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all !  it  is  that  he  hasn't  been  made  to 
want:  the  right  woman  has  not  come — when  she 
does,  she  will  get  him.  ....  There  was  one,  once, 
that  might  have  been  she — a  girl  whom  he  saw  for 
an  instant,  several  years  ago,  on  the  Grand  Canal. 
Their  gondolas  passed — that  was  all.  He  does  not 
know  even  her  name,  and  yet  he  still  remembers  her. 


256         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Now,  what  if  he  were  to  come  upon  her  again;  not 
as  a  vision,  but  as  a  present  personality,  lovelier 
actually,  than  in  fancy?  Would  Fairlawn's  next 
mistress  be  found  ?  " 

"  No ! "  said  Mildred,  instantly,  looking  her 
straight  in  the  eyes,  "  Fairlawn's  mistress  would  not 
be  found." 

The  frankness  of  it  took  Evelyn  by  surprise ;  for 
the  moment  she  had  no  answer  but  a  startled  smile ; 
and  then  Harwood  and  Fordyce  cantered  up,  and 
reined  down  beside  them. 

"  I  was  growing  very  anxious,"  said  Mildred  pres- 
ently, when,  the  four  horses  fretting  at  being  held 
abreast,  she  and  Harwood  had  ridden  ahead. 

"  That  I'd  be  late  at  the  meet  ?  Not  when  you 
are  to  be  there,  sweetheart." 

"Not  so  loud,  Colleton!" 

*'  I  don't  care  who  knows,"  he  smiled.  "  Every- 
body is  going  to  know  it  some  day,  very  soon." 

"  You  f  oolish  boy  !  be  sensible ;  tell  me  what  de- 
tained you — not  Landor? — you  haven't  had  trouble 
with  him?" 

"Plenty  of  it." 

"  Colleton !  and  after  all  I  said !  " 

"  Just  a  trifle  loud,  my  dear." 

"  At  least,  I  trust  you  didn't  come  to  blows  over 
me !  " — with  attempted  hauteur. 

"  Not  yet,  milady ;  though,  if  the  will  went  for 
the  deed,  his  head  would  have  been  punched  off 
scores  of  times." 


THE  ANSWER  257 

"  And  it  wasn't  he  that  detained  you?  " 

"  Goodness,  no,  little  one ;  The  Queen  of  the 
Ptolemies  desired  my  attendance  upon  matters  of 
state,  touching  the  costume  ball  to-night.  At  such 
times,  even  one's  sweetheart  must  give  place  to  the 
cook." 

"  Isn't  Landor  riding  to-day  ?  "  she  asked  quickly. 

"  Oh,  yes ;  he  will  be  along  presently — he  was  late 
in  coming  down,  and  so  missed  the  others.  He 
started  with  me  but  broke  a  stirrup  leather,  near 
this  end  of  the  town,  and  went  back  to  a  harness- 
shop  for  another." 

"  It's  a  pity,  the  break  didn't  hold  off  until  the 
nastiest  jump  of  the  run!"  she  exclaimed. — "No, 
I  mustn't  say  such  things,  even  if  I  do  think  them." 

**  You  may  say  anything  to  me,  sweetheart." 

"  And  you  must  not  call  me  sweetheart,  even  if 
you  do  think  it.  Didn't  we  go  over  it  all,  yesterday 
afternoon  ?  " 

"  We  did — and  we  will  go  over  it  again,  this 
afternoon." 

"  We'll  do  nothing  of  the  sort !  "  she  retorted, 
her  cheeks  rosy.  "  Didn't  I  tell  you,  then,  you 
must  never  kiss  me  again  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  I  knew  you  didn't  mean  it — the  kiss 
itself  denied  you." 

She  tried  to  look  indignant ;  but  the  smile  broke 
through,  and  then  the  adorable  laugh. 

"  There,  see  how  weak  I  am !  "  she  said.  "  I 
ought  to  be  incensed,  and  send  you  away.  Why 
17 


258         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

don't  you  be  strong,  and  help  me  to  do  right  ?  " 

"  My  dear  little  woman,"  he  said,  drawing  Nero 
in  close  beside  her,  "  if  I  thought  you  were  not 
doing  right,  I  should  help  you  instantly — by  going 
away  from  Egerton." 

"  But  I'm  not  doing  right,  Colleton.  I'm  not 
doing  right ! " 

"  Listen,  Mildred !  "  he  said.  "  I  have  not  sought 
your  secret,  I  do  not  want  it.  I  have  even  tried 
to  abstain  from  thinking  of  it.  Yet,  this  much  is 
obtrusively  evident:  there  has  been  something  in 
your  past  life,  which  you  imagine  should  keep  us 
apart — prohibits  marriage.  Whether  it  is  this 
which  Landor  knows,  matters  nothing,  as  between 
us,  since  it  is  the  fact  itself,  not  his  knowledge  of  it, 
that  deters  you.  For  my  part,  dear,  I  don't  care 
what  it  is.  I  will  take  you  now,  on  the  present — 
or,  if  you  insist,  I  will  wait  until  the  trouble  has 
cleared  away,  or  you  are  willing  to  disregard  it. 
What  I  won't  do,  however,  is  to  give  you  up,  or  to 
let  you  give  me  up." 

She  was  staring  hard  at  Rajah's  brow  band;  her 
face  very  pale,  her  lips  compressed.  He  thought 
she  was  on  the  edge  of  tears. 

"  There,  sweetheart,"  he  said,  softly,  "  I  was 
brusque  and  unkind;  we  will  say  no  more  about  it 
now,  and  I'll  be  in  for  tea  at  five,  as  usual." 

She  gave  him  a  look  of  such  love  and  supreme 
faith,  as  is  granted  few  men  to  see  on  a  woman's 
face. 


THE  ANSWER  259 

"  Yes,  dear,  come  at  five,"  she  said. 

She  would  tell  him  everything;  it  was  the  only 
way  to  convince  him  of  the  hopelessness  of  his 
purpose. 

They  passed  through  the  gate,  beyond  a  spring, 
and,  leaving  the  avenue,  cut  across  the  meadow  to 
the  ancient  log  house,  on  the  edge  of  the  creek. 
From  the  porch,  an  old  man  called  a  greeting,  and 
a  wish  for  a  speedy  fox;  then,  smiling  in  recollec- 
tion of  the  days  when  he,  too,  rode  to  the  chase,  he 
watched  them  splash  through  the  shallow  ford, 
scarcely  fetlock  deep,  and  disappear  around  the 
turn,  just  beyond  which,  he  knew  the  hunt  would 
be  gathered. 

The  narrow  clay  road,  that  led  into  the  Buzzard, 
was  free  from  fencing,  and  the  Club  was  scattered 
along  it,  and  over  the  narrow,  open  swale  toward 
the  creek.  As  Mrs.  Gascoyne  and  Harwood  rode 
in,  Judge  Casson  came  forward  to  meet  them. 

"Are  all  your  folks  with  you,  Colleton?"  he 
asked,  after  a  few  minutes'  chat. 

"  All  but  Landor ;  don't  wait  for  him,  if  you're 
ready;  he  may  not  get  here." 

"  Throw  off  whenever  you  like,  Rawdon ! "  the 
Judge  called  to  the  M.  F.  H.,  who  was  having  a 
word  with  Mrs.  Leicester. 

"  That  is  always  the  way,"  Rawdon  confided  to 
her ;  "  the  old  man  never  wants  anyone,  but  himself, 
to  talk  with  a  pretty  woman." 

Then  he  blew  the  mount,  and  sent  in  the  dogs. 


260        THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Scarcely  had  the  last  waving  white  tail  disap- 
peared among  the  rocks  and  undergrowth,  when 
Badger's  deep  note  spoke  the  scent.  The  Hello- 
Away  followed  almost  instantly.  At  the  same  time, 
Landor  dashed  through  the  creek,  and  joined  the 
tail  of  the  column  that  was  streaming  up  the  road ; 
parallel  with  which,  and  only  a  few  rods  distant,  the 
pack  had  laid  the  course. 

But  it  was  not  for  long,  this  easy  going;  the 
trail  turned  abruptly  to  the  left,  crossed  the 
road  into  the  pines,  and  bore  off  obliquely  up 
the  acclivity.  And  with  that,  the  field  dissolved ; 
split  into  twos  and  threes,  driving  a  way  among 
the  trees,  winding  in  and  out ;  lying  low  in  sad- 
dle, under  scraping  branches,  through  narrow 
aisles;  always  bearing  toward  the  call  of  the  horn, 
or  the  note  of  the  hounds — the  latter  growing 
fainter  every  minute.  It  was  here  that  the  gamble 
of  the  chase  was  played  to  the  limit — whether  to 
take  this  path  or  the  other:  the  one  that  led  seem- 
ingly straight,  or  the  one  that  bent  and  circled; 
whether  to  fling  over  horn  and  hound,  and,  chancing 
on  the  scent  swinging  to  the  north  end  of  the  Hill, 
bear  thither  direct,  to  be  waiting  when  the  pack 
came  up,  while  the  field  still  trailed,  far  in  the  rear. 
The  Buzzard  was  a  game  of  guess !  short-cuts  ? 
long-cuts?  straight-riding?  which?  They  all  had 
won,  but  it  was  rare  that  the  same  won  twice  in 
sequence. 

"  Let  me  lead,  Colleton ! "  Mildred  had  said,  as 


THE  ANSWER  261 

they  dashed  into  the  timber.  "  I  know  this  ground, 
you  don't." 

And  Harwood  had  nodded,  smilingly,  and  drawn 
back,  well  content,  since  they  must  ride  in  file,  to  be 
where  he  could  watch  her,  whenever  he  might  shift 
his  eyes  from  the  going,  which,  in  truth,  was  rare 
enough.  For  with  the  bending  and  twisting,  in  and 
out  through  the  green  maze,  he  needed  all  his  eyes 
for  the  rocks  and  holes,  and  the  branches  that  lay 
in  wait  to  sweep  him  out  of  saddle.  From  all  over 
the  wood,  he  could  hear  the  noise  of  riders;  some 
crossed  their  track;  they  crossed  others';  occasion- 
ally, Mildred  would  glance  back  to  be  sure  that  he 
followed,  smile,  and  face  quickly  around  again.  The 
horn  still  called,  at  intervals,  from  the  fore,  and  well 
above  them,  the  dense  leafage  of  the  trees  muffling 
the  sound,  and,  with  the  very  gloom,  making  it  seem 
still  farther  away. 

Presently,  they  struck  an  unusually  rough  bit  of 
going,  where  the  fallen  needles  lay  deep  and  slip- 
pery, the  rocks  were  larger,  the  boughs  heavier 
and  lower.  He  held  back  another  length  or  two, 
to  avoid  the  least  chance  of  crowding  her.  Sud- 
denly, a  riderless  horse  dashed  out  from  the  trees, 
paused  directly  between  Mildred  and  him,  then,  with 
a  snort,  plunged  on. 

To  escape  colliding,  Nero  had  come  down  stiff- 
kneed,  sending  Harwood  almost  out  of  the  saddle; 
when  he  recovered,  Mrs.  Gascoyne  had  disappeared. 

He  rode  on,  in  the  same  direction,  guided  by  the 


262         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

slant  of  the  hill,  and  the  occasional  note  of  the 
horn,  now  very  distant.  Somewhere  to  the  front, 
he  heard  the  faint  gallop  of  hoofs — deadened  by  the 
carpet  of  needles — and  the  scrape  of  boughs,  but, 
push  as  he  might,  he  did  not  gain.  Several  times, 
he  raised  a  shout;  no  answer  came.  The  pines 
were  growing  denser,  and  his  speed  fell  off  cor- 
respondingly ;  the  noise,  in  front,  had  ceased.  Pres- 
ently, he  tore  through  a  mass  of  tangled  branches, 
and  into  a  tiny  open  space,  green  with  the  lush 
grass  of  the  untrod  wood.  As  he  crossed  it,  with 
noiseless  hoofs,  he  heard  some  one  far  ahead.  The 
timber  was  thinner  here,  and  he  galloped  on, 
lashed,  now,  only  by  the  needles.  He  was  gaining 
rapidly — too  rapidly;  the  other  was  approaching. 
Abruptly,  the  pines  split  into  a  tiny  alley,  and 
trotting  down  it  came  the  riderless  horse.  It  flung 
up  its  head,  stopped,  wheeled  about,  and  raced  away. 
Harwood  drew  rein,  and  listened.  Silence! — 
dead  and  heavy  as  of  the  heart  of  a  great  forest — 
only  the  sighing  in  the  trees,  the  chirp  of  a  bird, 
the  whir  of  a  wing.  It  seemed  incredible,  that  such 
solitude  could  lie  so  close  to  the  haunts  of  man. 
He  waited  for  the  horn,  or  the  cry  of  the  pack,  to 
point  direction.  Neither  came;  they  had  passed 
out  of  distance.  It  was  too  early  to  abandon  the 
run,  and,  by  turning  down  grade,  reach  the  meadows 
along  the  creek.  He  gave  Nero  his  head,  and  fol- 
lowed the  alley.  The  point  for  him,  in  his 
ignorance  of  the  country-side  and  the  probable 


THE  ANSWER  263 

course  of  the  fox,  was  to  get  out  of  this  labyrinth, 
and  into  the  open.  The  alley  had  been  winding 
like  a  serpent's  trail,  along  the  hill-side,  now  it  bore 
around,  and  made  directly  upward.  Near  the  crest, 
the  pines  ended  as  abruptly  as  though  planted  to  a 
line;  oak  and  hickory,  huge  and  stately,  grew  in- 
stead. And  now,  the  ground  was  mainly  fallen 
trees,  rocks,  and  holes ;  the  latter  doubly  treacherous 
with  the  mould  and  leaves  of  years.  Over  these, 
Nero  went  with  the  care  of  practised  knowledge; 
and  Harwood  wisely  offered  no  suggestions.  If  the 
rest  of  the  Buzzard  were  of  such  going,  it  was, 
indeed,  merciful  for  it  to  claim  but  one  life  a  year. 
Just  below  the  summit,  he,  for  all  his  haste, 
brought  Nero  to  a  sudden  halt.  He  was  on  the 
side  of  a  basin,  deep  and  narrow,  wherein  the  trees 
were  gaunt  and  stark,  shorn  of  leaf  and  life ;  black 
as  though  by  fire ;  great  hands  of  death  pointing 
grimly  upward  with  many  fingers.  Even  the 
ground  was  of  the  charnel-house — no  blade  of 
grass,  no  moss,  no  mould,  not  so  much  as  the  brown 
of  fallen  leaf;  only  the  dull  grey  of  the  granite 
rocks,  and  the  livid  hue  of  the  nude  earth  between. 
....  Yet  life  was  there — the  life  that  had  worked 
this  death  and  desolation — great  birds  in  rusty 
black,  perched  in  scores  upon  the  blasted  trees; 
sideling  back  and  forth ;  buried  in  their  huge  wings ; 
visiting  from  branch  to  branch;  foul  and  nauseous, 
craning  their  bare,  putrid-purple  necks,  to  blear 
resentfully  at  this  intruder  on  their  privacy. 


264         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

The  very  abomination  of  it  held  Harwood,  in 
wonder. — And  then  he  understood.  They  were  the 
Buzzards !  the  demons  of  the  Hill.  He  gave  Nero 
his  head. 

"  Come  on,  boy,"  he  said,  "  let  us  get  away  from 
here!" 

On  the  crest,  he  paused  again,  for  some  sound  of 
the  chase.  It  were  silly  to  ride  to  one  point  of  the 
compass,  when  any  of  the  other  three  hundred  and 
fifty-nine  were  quite  as  likely  to  be  the  proper 
course.  And  in  a  very  little  while,  it  came — the 
horn,  faint  and  far  out  on  the  flat  to  the  northeast. 
Straightway,  Nero  bolted  for  it. 

It  was  this  same  horn,  that  marked  Mildred 
Gascoyne's  coming  up  with  the  hunt. 

Deceived  by  the  riderless  horse,  which  had  swung 
around  into  Harwood's  place  behind  her,  she  had 
not  discovered  the  mistake  until  it  was  too  late  to 
remedy.  So,  in  the  true  spirit  of  the  sport,  she 
left  him  to  his  luck,  and  went  on.  Moreover,  this 
was  the  last  run  of  the  season,  and  the  next  was 
six  months  off. 

The  fox  had  laid  a  diagonal  course,  that  crossed 
the  Hill  at  the  highest  point,  and  the  pace  he 
set,  over  such  going,  would  have  pumped  out  the 
best  hunter  ever  foaled.  Mildred  had  spent  hours 
exploring  these  thickets ;  she  was  familiar  with  every 
opening  and  path  in  them;  and  chancing  that  the 
quarry  would  hold  to  the  same  line,  down  the  other 
side,  she  cut  around,  mid-way.  If  she  misguessed, 


THE  ANSWER  265 

and  the  trail  swung  to  the  right,  she  was  hopelessly 
out  of  it. 

But  the  fox  ran  true,  not  only  over  the  hill,  but 
on  into  the  level;  and  without  having  driven  Rajah 
unduly,  she  came  in  sight  of  the  pack,  a  mile  out 
from  the  Buzzard.  Of  the  field,  there  was  only  a 
handful ;  she  was  alone  on  the  left ;  on  the  right,  and 
a  bit  to  the  front,  were  four  others  whom,  as  they 
flashed  at  intervals  into  view,  she  descried  as  the 
Huntsman,  Mrs.  Leicester,  Judge  Casson,  and 
Fordyce. 

The  hounds  had  disappeared  behind  a  clump  of 
locusts — now,  they  suddenly  burst  out  into  a  clear- 
ing, just  ahead,  and  bore  down  upon  her.  The 
fox  had  doubled  toward  the  creek. 

With  a  cry  to  the  others,  she  swerved  aside, 
pulled  Rajah  to  a  dancing-halt,  and  let  the  pack 
go  by ;  then  followed  on  the  line,  a  little  to  the  left, 
with  the  Judge  nearest. 

"  Thank  you,  madam !  "  he  had  called,  as  they 
ranged  up. 

A  little  farther  on,  Mildred  and  the  Judge  got 
into  soft  ground,  and  the  rest  drew  ahead.  Before 
them,  was  a  post-and-rider  of  no  especial  difficulty. 
Whether  from  carelessness  or  a  slip  at  the  take-off, 
Fordyce  caught  the  top  rail ;  it  broke,  but  too  late, 
and  after  a  desperate  effort  to  save  himself,  he  came 
a  rather  easy  cropper. 

"  Are  you  hurt  ?  "  the  Judge  sang  out,  as  he  flew 
the  fence. 


266         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Fordyce  shook  his  head,  and  motioned  to  go  on. 
The  fall  had  knocked  the  breath  out  of  him,  and, 
for  the  moment,  he  could  neither  speak  nor  get  up. 

But  to  Evelyn  Leicester,  who  had  never  seen  a 
spill  at  full  speed,  Fordyce  was  either  dead,  or 
grievously  injured,  and  with  a  cry  of  indignation 
at  the  heartlessness  of  the  others,  she  dragged 
Hector  down  and  galloped  back,  disdaining  Raw- 
don's  cry  to  come  on. 

And  now,  with  the  pack  racing  so  near,  heads  up, 
sterns  down,  scarcely  a  cry,  Mildred  gave  Rajah 
the  rein,  and  shot  to  the  front;  save  Harwood's 
Nero,  he  had  the  heels  of  them  all,  on  an  open 
course.  Over  rock  and  fence,  he  skimmed  in  his 
stride,  landing  wide-out,  with  legs  extended;  the 
woman  on  him  riding  light  as  half  her  weight,  with 
hands  of  silk,  and  never  an  ounce  of  pull  that  would 
bunch  him,  and  throw  him  out  of  the  swing. 

"  Gad !  "  Rawdon  muttered,  as,  scorning  to  bend 
aside,  she  flew  a  nasty,  shelving  rock  with  five  feet 
of  bushes  beyond,  "  was  there  ever  such  another ! " 

They  were  back  to  the  pines,  now;  on  the  open 
ground  that  lay  between  them  and  the  creek,  rough 
and  full  of  holes,  but  practically  free  of  trees, 
except  for  one  short,  narrow  point  that  projected 
directly  in  Mildred's  way.  It,  she  did  not  scorn ; 
she  knew  of  old,  that  it  were  best  avoided.  The 
scent  ran  well  below  it,  and  there  was  ample  space 
for  her  to  circle,  without  committing  the  unpardon- 
able crime,  of  riding  the  line  of  the  hounds. 


THE  ANSWER  267 

As  she  passed  the  point,  with  the  dogs  only  a 
hundred  yards  ahead,  Henry  Landor  emerged  from 
the  main  wood,  and  bore  down  upon  her  at  a  gallop. 
It  did  not  occur  to  her  to  be  surprised,  that  he 
should  break  in  here.  All  she  felt,  was  a  sudden  rush 
of  anger,  that  the  end  of  the  chase  was  to  be  spoiled 
by  this  man's  hateful  presence.  It  was  impossible 
to  avoid  him ;  he  was  much  nearer  the  pack,  and  his 
horse  was  quite  fresh. 

"  Good  morning,  my  dear !  "  he  said,  with  grin- 
ning familiarity,  ranging  up  beside  her ;  "  this  is 
a  most  unexpected  pleasure."  When  she  made  no 
reply,  either  by  look  or  word,  he  went  on :  "  I'm 
well  repaid,  now,  for  being  left  at  the  start — lost 
in  the  pines;  remitted  to  self-control,  and  the 
beauties  of  the  immediate  landscape;  the  latter 
measuring  about  six  by  six — the  former,  I  flatter 
myself,  you  may  still  remember." 

She  continued  to  ignore  him.  He  laughed,  mock- 
ingly, and  moved  nearer;  never  noting  the  look  in 
the  grey  eyes,  and  the  set  of  the  pretty  lips. 

"  At  least,  you  can  remember  so  far  back  as 
yesterday  evening,  and  that  you  were  given  until 
the  meet,  this  morning,  to  answer  a  certain  propo- 
sition."— He  leaned  over  close.  "  What  is  the  an- 
swer, my  dear? " 

She  still  ignored  him,  save  to  draw  Rajah  away. 

He  followed. 

"  Keep  off,  sir !  "  she  ordered.  "  We  are  coming 
to  a  fence."  i 


268         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  The  answer !  "  he  demanded. 

"  Keep  off,  I  say  !  " 

He  took  the  tremble  of  anger  in  her  voice,  for 
fear. 

"  The  answer !  "  he  said,  sharply,  daring  to  press 
so  near  that  his  boot  brushed  her  skirt. 

"  This!  "  she  cried,  and  drove  Rajah  glancingly 
against  his  horse's  shoulder. 

The  next  moment,  the  big  bay  rose  to  the  fence, 
while  his  sorrel,  staggering  and  struggling  to  keep 
his  feet,  brought  up  against  it  with  a  smash. 

Simultaneously,  Judge  Casson  and  the  M.  F.  H. 
turned,  and  looked  at  each  other.  They  knew,  she 
had  done  it  intentionally — but,  why  ?  And  they  re- 
garded Landor  with  curious  eyes,  as  they  passed 
him  circling  back  for  a  fresh  try  at  the  fence. 

For  the  last  few  minutes,  the  hounds  had  been 
"  running  for  blood,"  the  savage  earnestness  that 
indicates  a  burning  scent.  Now,  of  a  sudden,  went 
up  the  fierce  clamor  of  hate,  as  they  passed  from 
scent  to  view.  And  only  a  very  short  view;  not  a 
hundred  yards  away,  the  fox,  hitherto  hidden  by  the 
long  grass  and  boulders,  had  glided  across  a  stony 
hollow.  He  was  tired — beaten — but  struggling, 
gamely,  for  the  line  of  rocks,  less  than  a  sixth  of  a 
mile  ahead.  There  lay  his  den,  and  safety.  He 
called  up  the  last  ounce  of  his  strength,  and,  careful 
no  longer  for  cover,  went  bounding  onward  with  all 
the  speed  he  owned.  Loud  behind  him,  rang  the 
horn  and  the  cries  of  the  pack;  there,  before  him, 


THE  ANSWER  269 

the  big  rock  beckoned  to  the  dark  home  beneath.  He 
jerked  a  quick  look  over  his  shoulder — he  was  losing. 
He  spurted  forward,  held  his  own  a  moment,  then 
began  to  lose  again.  He  could  do  no  better — his 
strength  was  slipping  fast.  Another  look — they 
were  gaining  rapidly — he  could  see  the  glint  of  old 
Badger's  teeth,  the  pitiless  gleam  of  his  eager  eyes. 
He  knew,  now,  that  he  could  never  reach  the  beckon- 
ing rock,  and  the  dark  hole  beneath.  He  turned 
abruptly  toward  the  creek.  It  was  but  half  so  far 
away,  and  just  here,  as  he  knew  well,  deep  and  quiet, 
with  timber  close  to  the  other  shore.  If  he  could 
gain  it,  he  might  out-swim  his  enemies,  and,  doubling 
back  further  down,  win  the  waiting  haven. 

For  a  few  feet,  he  held  his  own ;  then  Badger,  with 
a  spurt  of  tremendous  speed,  closed  in.  There  was 
a  snarl — the  snap  of  a  long,  narrow,  punishing  jaw, 
that  streaked  a  white  neck  with  crimson, — an  an- 
swering roar  of  furious  joy — and  dog  and  fox  went 
rolling  over  and  over,  the  one's  strong  teeth  buried 
in  the  other's  throat.  The  next  instant,  the  whole 
pack  was  upon  them. 

Flinging  the  rein  over  Rajah's  head,  Mildred 
leaped  from  saddle,  and,  springing  into  the  centre 
of  the  fighting  heap,  laid  vigorously  about  her  with 
her  crop.  Almost  immediately,  Judge  Casson  and 
Rawdon  were  beside  her.  The  former,  a  foot  on 
the  fox's  neck,  pulled  back  the  brush  and  cut  it  off. 

"  One  more  for  madame !  "  he  said,  bowing  it  to 
her. 


270         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

Then  he  swung  aloft  the  body. 

"  Whoop-up !  Tear  him !  "  he  cried,  and  flung  it 
to  the  dogs. 

As  the  Judge  put  Mildred  into  saddle,  Henry 
Landor  came  up. 

"  Well  ridden,  Mrs.  Gascoyne !  "  he  said.  "  And 
a  million  apologies  for  my  criminal  awkwardness,  at 
the  last  fence.  It  might  readily  have  been  fatal." 

She  looked  at  him,  with  the  most  deliberate  in- 
difference. 

"  It  did  not  trouble  me  in  the  slightest,  I  assure 

you Shall  we  wait  for  the  field  to  come  up, 

Mr.  Rawdon ! " 


XVI 

KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING 

A  SHORT  while  before  five  o'clock,  that  afternoon, 
Landor  went  over  to  The  Oaks.  This  time,  how- 
ever, he  did  not  use  the  front  entrance.  He  went 
by  the  rear,  as  unobtrusively  as  possible. 

Yesterday,  he  was  admitted, — by  direct  instruc- 
tion, he  was  now  convinced — to-day,  after  the  affair 
of  the  Hunt,  the  droopy-eyed  butler  would  inform 
him,  with  the  impassivity  of  a  graven  image,  that 
Mrs.  Gascoyne  was  not  at  home.  Then,  it  was 
either  to  go  through  him,  or  to  resort  to  strategy. 
And  as  he  was  fully  determined  upon  having  this 
last  talk  with  her,  before  the  Ball  that  night,  it 
seemed  to  indicate  a  gentle  putting  aside  of  Brown, 
and  a  search  for  the  lady,  even  unto  her  apart- 
ments. It  would  be  unpleasantly  vigorous,  doubt- 
less, but,  under  all  the  circumstances,  legitimate  and 
justifiable. 

However,  luck  favored  him.  As  he  turned  the 
hedge,  at  the  rear  of  The  Oaks,  the  butler  came 
from  the  side  door  and  went  rapidly  down  to  the 
Avenue.  This  meant  that  one  of  the  maids  would 
be  on  duty.  Avoiding  the  front  steps,  by  crossing 
the  piazza  from  the  end,  he  pushed  the  bell,  and 
drew  aside  out  of  line  of  the  glass  panels. 

"  Is  Mrs.  Gascoyne  at  home?  "  he  asked — in  the 
271 


272         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

of-course-she-is  tone,  that  is  always  hard  for  a 
servant  to  face — and  continued,  without  waiting  for 
a  reply :  "  Please  say  to  her  that  Mr.  Burgoyne, 
from  over  at  Fairlawn,  would  like  to  see  her,  just  a 
moment." 

He  took  the  chance,  that  the  maid  did  not  know 
either  Burgoyne  or  him,  and  won.  The  hesitation 
in  her  face  vanished  at  mention  of  the  name,  and, 
dropping  a  card  on  the  tray,  now  extended,  he 
passed  quickly  into  the  drawing-room. 

Unless  Mrs.  Gascoyne  had  seen  him  approaching 
the  house,  or  took  the  precaution  to  question  the 
maid  minutely  as  to  the  visitor's  appearance,  the 
ruse  would  succeed,  and  he  waited  eagerly  for  the 
return  of  the  servant.  She  did  not  come — instead, 
there  was  a  quick,  light  step  on  the  stairway,  the 
swish  of  skirts,  and  Mildred  herself  entered,  the 
card  still  between  her  fingers. 

"  And  how  is  Mr.  Burgoyne !  "  she  said,  the  sub- 
dued light  preventing  her,  for  the  moment,  detect- 
ing the  imposture. 

Landor  stepped  quickly  between  her  and  the  door. 

"  Really,  I  haven't  the  remotest  idea !  "  he  said. 

Her  surprise  was  so  apparent  that  he  laughed 
softly  in  derision.  It  steadied  her  instantly. 

"  This  is  your  card?  "  she  asked. 

"  It  is  the  one  I  sent  in  to  you." 

She  went  to  a  window  and  shot  up  the  shade, 
letting  in  the  day. 

"  Won't  you  sit  down,  Mr.  Burgoyne  ?  "  she  said. 


KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING          273 

"  I  have  an  appointment  very  shortly,  but  I  can  give 
you  the  moment  you  asked  for." 

Landor  grinned,  and  took  up  his  favorite  attitude 
of  leaning  on  the  mantle. 

"  I'm  not  Burgoyne,  now,"  he  replied ;  "  I  was  he 
only  until  I  got  in  here." 

She  held  up  the  card. 

"  Mr.  Leigh  Burgoyne,  The  Northumberland 
Club,"  she  read  aloud ;  then  laid  it  aside,  and  looked 
at  him  inquiringly. 

"  You  seem  to  be  partial  to  masquerades ! "  he 
laughed ;  "  so  suppose  we  discuss  them,  beginning 
with  your  own.  I  did  not  quite  understand  your 
answer,  just  before  the  kill  this  morning — unless  it 

were  that  dead  men  tell  no  tales In  which 

case,  it  failed  of  pertinence,  and  some  other  answer 
is  necessary.  It  is  for  that,  I  have  come." 

She  regarded  him  with  an  air  of  polite  surprise. 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Burgoyne,"  she  said,  "  I  am  quite 
at  a  loss  for  your  meaning.  You  rode  to  covert 
with  the  Fairlawn  party,  I  remember,  but  I'm  quite 
sure  I  did  not  see  you  any  time  during  the  run, 
much  less  speak  to  you."  She  leaned  forward  and 
scrutinized  his  face.  "  No,  he  doesn't  appear  to 
have  been  drinking ! "  she  reflected,  aloud. 

"  Still  on  the  part !  " — he  sneered ;  "  always  the 
play-actress.  Well,  it  is  not  surprising,  after  so 
many  years  of  constant  practise.  Now,  however, 
my  dear  Mildred,  the  mask  comes  off — whether  to 
the  whole  world,  or  only  to  me,  is  for  you  to  de- 
18 


274         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

termine.  Honor  me  with  a  few  dollars,  out  of  your 
vast  abundance,  and  I  will  leave  you  free  to  cozen 
these  poor  fools  around  here,  including  the  Master 
of  Fairlawn,  to  your  pretty  face's  content;  and  I 
will  engage,  further,  never  to  recognize  you,  here- 
after." 

Again  she  leaned  forward,  and  studied  him 
curiously. 

"  No,  he  isn't  drunk !  "  she  said,  musingly,  "  so  he 
must  have  suddenly  become  demented.  I  wonder 
how  I  can  get  him  away. — Oh,  to  be  sure !  My  dear 
Mr.  Burgoyne,  of  course  I'll  be  delighted  to  give 
you  the  money,  but  it  happens  that  I  haven't  any 
cash  in  the  house,  so,  if  you  will  drive  along  with  me 
to  town,  I'll  get  it  for  you.  I'll  go  and  order  the 
carriage,  at  once." 

"  You'll  do  nothing  of  the  sort !  "  he  said  sharply, 
springing  to  the  doorway,  "  and  you  will  quit  this 
silly  nonsense,  and  come  down  to  business.  It  is 
your  last  chance.  Either  we  deal  now,  or  I'll  pro- 
claim you  to-morrow.  It  is  only  out  of  considera- 
tion for  my  friend  Harwood,  that  I'll  wait  until 
after  his  Ball  to-night.  It  would  be  spoiled  utterly 
for  him,  if  you  were  not  there. — Ah !  that  stings, 
does  it!  the  idea  of  losing  the  neighbor.  Doubt- 
less there  have  been  numerous  neighbors,  in  these 
ten  years.  By  the  way,  who  was  Gascoyne — the 
last,  the  first,  or  one  of  the  intermediates?  " 

She  perceived  that  he  was  now  absolutely  sure 
of  his  recognition,  and  had  determined  to  act.  It, 


KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING          275 

therefore,  was  useless  longer  to  deny  her  identity. 
The  time  was  come  for  her  to  show  her  hand. 
She  had  been  leaning  elbow  on  chair-arm,  chin  in 
palm,  regarding  him  in  steady  contempt.  Now  she 
sat  up,  with  a  shrug,  and  a  bit  of  a  mocking  laugh. 

"  Let  us  give  over  insinuations,"  she  said,  "  and, 
as  you  put  it,  come  down  to  business." 

"  You  admit  your  identity  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Naturally." 

Involuntarily,  his  eyes  sought  her  hair.  It  had 
always  been  the  one  inexplicable — the  basis  of  all 
his  doubt. 

"  Will  you  account  for  it  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  No !  "  she  said  curtly.  "  Let  us  proceed  with 
the  matter  in  hand.  Just  what  is  it  you  demand  ?  " 

"  Seventy-five  thousand  dollars." 

The  answer  was  instant  as  the  crack  of  a  whip, 
when  the  lash  snaps  back. 

"  In  exchange,  you  offer  what  ?  " 

"  Immunity  from  recognition." 

"  Refused !  "  she  said.     "  Is  that  all?  " 

It  was  so  sudden,  and  so  totally  unexpected  that 
Landor  stared  at  her,  in  undisguised  amazement. 
Then  a  malevolent  smile  crossed  his  handsome  face ; 
he  bowed  slightly. 

"  That  is  all,"  he  answered,  turning  toward  the 
door.  "  To-morrow  the  deluge !  " 

"  One  moment,  if  you  please !  "  she  said.  "  Has 
it  occurred  to  you  that  you  may  not  be  the  only 
owner  of  a  deluge? — that  I,  too,  may  be  aware  of 


276         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

a  few  things,  which  it  were  well  for  you  should  not 
be  disclosed?  " 

"  For  instance  ?  "  he  asked,  leaning  gracefully 
against  the  door. 

"  Burglary ! — the  brave  gentleman  outside  the 
window,  waiting  to  enter  or  to  run,  as  discretion 
called — and  running." 

"  And  hence  not  seen !  "  he  retorted ;  "  the  vaga- 
bond's story  proves  nothing,  even  if  you  had  him — 
and  you  haven't." 

"  No,  I  haven't ;  in  fact,  I  sent  him  away,  myself. 
One  blackmailer,  in  the  neighborhood,  is  ample.  Be- 
sides, I  don't  need  him — you  were  seen." 

"By  you?  "he  scoffed. 

**  Yes,  by  me,  when  you  inspected  the  window — 
by  another,  when  you  came  with  the  tramp ;  nor  is 
this  other  of  my  household." 

"  So !  I  understand,  now,  the  promptness  of  the 
lights  and  the  huge  revolver.  Also,  my  great  good 
fortune  in  sending  a  substitute.  It  would  have  been 
a  glorious  opportunity  to  kill  me,  with  every  ap- 
parent justification.  And  as  I  remember  your 
shooting,  Mildred,  there  wasn't  a  chance  you'd 
miss." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,"  she  answered ;  "  the 
temptation  would  have  been  so  very  pleasant,  and 
the  act  so  wholly  commendable.  Yes,  it  is  a  pity 
that  you  didn't  come  in  yourself." 

"  But  as  I  didn't,  I  fail  to  discern  a  deluge  in  it 
now.  I  hardly  fancy,  that  you  will  be  such  a  fool 


KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING          277 

as  even  to  mention  the  '  burglary  '  to  any  one. 
What  you  want  is  silence." 

"  Just  so,"  she  said ;  "  and  I'm  ready  to  trade 
your  crime  for  your  silence.  The  deluge  bursts 
only  if  you  talk." 

He  laughed  softly,  in  derision,  and  drawing  out 
his  cigarettes  offered  them  to  her. 

"  Have  one?  "  he  asked. — "  No? — another  refor- 
mation?— or  is  it,  that  Harwood  does  not  ap- 
prove? "  He  replaced  the  case,  and  laughed 
again.  "  Is  that  the  only  deluge  you  have  ready  ?  " 

He  had  anticipated  the  burglary  threat,  and  was 
prepared  to  scorn  it.  Lacking  the  tramp's  testi- 
mony, it  would  be  impossible  to  implicate  him ;  and 
he  felt  confident,  that  Judge  Casson  would  not  per- 
mit her  to  prosecute  on  insufficient  evidence.  But 
it  was  a  very  different  situation,  if  he  had  been 
detected  examining  the  windows,  and,  later,  engaged 
in  the  actual  breaking  (it  was  he  who  opened  the 
catch  and  raised  the  sash). 

"  There  is  a  young  lady,  by  name,  Miss  Gordon, 
&t  Fairlawn,  isn't  there?  "  Mildred  asked,  ignoring 
his  gibes. 

"  Why  discuss  the  obvious?  "  he  asked,  though 
his  black  eyes  flashed,  in  quick  suspicion. 

"  And  Miss  Gordon  is  an  heiress,  of  large,  very 
large  wealth  ?  " 

"  Jealous?  "  he  jeered. 

"And  you" — she  went  on,  imperturbably — 
"  have  been  more  or  less  devoted  to  her?  " 


278         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Rather  more !  "  he  laughed. 

"  To  such  an  extent,  indeed,  that  your  engage- 
ment is  generally  accepted?  " 

"Very  jealous!  Really,  my  dear  Mildred,  I 
shouldn't  have  believed  it,  after  all  these  years. 
Yet,  I  must  say,  I  do  not  see  the  pertinency  of  these 
cold-storage  questions." 

"  Also,  Mr.  Landor,  I  understand  that  you  are 
heavily  involved  financially." 

No  answer ;  only  a  questioning  stare. 

"  Practically  bankrupt,  indeed." 

No  answer;  still,  the  stare. 

"  You  are,  at  this  moment,  in  need  of  a  consider- 
able sum  of  money — so  seriously  in  need,  that,  un- 
less you  get  it,  and  quickly,  you  will  be  in  grave 
peril  of  prison  "• — (something  in  his  eyes  told  her, 
that  her  intuition  had  prompted  her  truly,  and  she 
pressed  on) — "  are  in  grave  peril,  now,  I  might 
guess.  Do  you  grasp  the  pertinency,  yet?  " 

"  Not  in  the  slightest,"  he  replied,  with  a  languid 
shrug.  "  But  you  are  playing  the  part — whatever 
it  may  be — with  such  amazing  skill,  I  beg  that  you 
will  continue;  good  acting  is  always  entertaining." 

The  clock,  on  the  landing,  began  to  strike  five. 
Mildred  arose. 

"  The  play,  as  you  are  pleased  to  term  it,  is 
over,"  she  said,  "  but  I  give  you  this  epilogue : 
You  must  have  money.  You  can't  get  it  from  me. 
You  may  be  able  to  cozen  it  out  of  Miss  Gordon — 
at  least,  she  is  your  only  hope.  You  seem  to  have 


KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING          279 

forgot  that,  when  you  unmask  me,  you  also  un- 
mask yourself.  Then,  exit  Gordon  and  her  money ; 
and  enter — the  police,  is  it? — At  all  events,  my  time 
has  expired;  I  wish  you  good-evening." 

"  A  very  pretty  epilogue !  "  he  mocked,  "  but 
unconvincing  because  fallacious.  Moreover,  I  as- 
sure you  that,  in  the  unmasking,  I  shall  not  involve 
myself  to  the  extent  you  have  in  mind.  What 
smirches  a  woman  forever,  does  not  affect  the  man. 
Of  course,  you  can  cry  your  story,  if  you  wish,  but 
mine  will  have  been  such  that,  no  matter  what  you 
tell,  the  smirch  will  linger. — You  understand,  I  see." 
At  the  door,  he  paused.  "  You  will  have  until  the 
breaking  of  the  Ball,  to-night,  to  reconsider — after 
that,  the  deluge !  " 

With  a  malicious  laugh,  and  a  low  bow,  he  left 
her. 

Mildred  gave  an  exclamation  of  intense  relief, 
when  the  door  closed  behind  him. 

"  Why  didn't  I  ride  him  down  this  morning ! " 
she  exclaimed,  her  long-suppressed  anger  flashing 
forth.  "  What  maudlin  sense  of  pity  held  me ! 
I'm  a  silly  fool,  to  have  let  the  chance  go  by ! " 
She  struck  the  chair-arm,  with  her  clenched  hands. 
"  Won't  you  give  me  another  chance  to-night, 
Henry  Landor? 

The  very  hate  of  him  drove  her  to  the  window; 
and  there,  for  the  moment,  he  was  forgot.  Har- 
wood  was  coming  up  the  path.  She  drew  aside  the 
curtains,  and  motioned  him  to  enter. 


280         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

She  met  him  with  both  hands  extended,  and,  when 
he  drew  her  to  him,  she  went  willingly  and  at  once ; 
meeting  his  embrace  with  such  a  warmth  and 
abandon,  that  he  swept  her  up  into  his  arms;  kiss- 
ing her  on  lips,  and  cheek,  and  ruddy  hair,  until  she 
cried,  laughingly,  for  mercy. 

"  Don't  take  all  of  them  at  once,  dear,"  she  whis- 
pered ;  "  and,  besides,  you  must  be  good.  You 
mustn't  kiss  m — !  ....  It  isn't  ri — !  .  .  .  .  Just 
see  my  hair," — as  he  released  her,  and  stood  back, 
smiling  joyously — "  I'm  ashamed  to  have  the 
servant  bring  in  the  tray." 

"  Bother  the  tea ! "  he  said,  watching  her  slim 
fingers  playing  over  the  tousled  coiffure.  "  I'm 
drunk  enough,  as  it  is 

"  I  quite  agree ;  you  are  worse  than  disorderly. — 
No — don't  resume  it ! — stay  where  you  are !  .  .  .  . 
Oh,  Colleton.  Now  I've  got  it  all  to  fix  over 
anew.  I  shall  go  upstairs,  if  you  misbehave  again." 

"  Within  how  many  minutes  ?  " 

"  Ever !  "  sitting  down,  and  pointing  to  the  sofa 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  room. 

Instead,  he  came  over  and  leaned  on  the  back  of 
her  chair. 

"  I  shall  tell  it  at  the  Ball  to-night,"  he  said. 

"  Tell  what?  "  she  asked. 

"  That  Fairlawn  has  found  its  chatelaine." 

She  sprang  away,  amazed. 

"  Me !  "  she  cried.  "  You  can't  mean  me,  Colle- 
ton ! " 


KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING          281 
"  Whom  else  should  I  mean?  "  he  asked,  won,der- 


"  You  took  my  greeting  for  consent?  Oh,  I'm 
so  sorry  ;  forgive  me,  dear  !  I  didn't  mean  it 

"Why  not  mean  it,  sweetheart?"  he  asked, 
taking  her  to  him.  "  Why  not  consent?  " 

She  tried  to  draw  away,  but  he  held  her  close. 

"  Why  not  consent,  dear  one?  "  he  pleaded  — 
"  why  not  consent?  " 

She  flung  both  arms  around  his  neck. 

"  Because  I  cannot  !  "  she  answered,  "  I  cannot  !  — 
I  am  Henry  Lander's  wife  !  " 

And  then  the  sobs  came. 

He  looked  down  at  her  with  infinite  tenderness, 
and  stroked  softly  the  gleaming  hair.  Scores  of 
questions  pressed  for  utterance,  but  he  put  them 
aside,  and  drove  surprise  from  his  voice.  Her  dis- 
tress was  his  first  duty. 

"  Don't,  sweetheart,"  he  said,  presently  —  "  a 
woman's  tears  touch  a  man  deeper  than  the  most 
exquisite  pain.  And  it  will  come  all  right,  in  the 
end.  There  is  some  way  out,  and  we  will  find  it." 

"  There  is  no  way  out  !  "  she  answered,  dashing 
away  the  tears,  and  trying  to  smile. 

"  There  is  always  a  way  to  divorce." 

"  You  would  marry  a  divorced  woman  ?  " 

"  Why  not?  —  especially,  if  she  be  you?  " 

She  took  his  hand,  and  laid  it  along  her  cheek, 
caressingly. 


282         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Even  divorce  is  denied  us,  Colleton,"  she  said. 

"  Your  church?  " 

"  No.  It  was  that,  at  first ;  but  not  now — I  have 
got  bravely  over  such  nonsense." 

"  Good !  "  he  exclaimed,  in  supreme  relief.  It  was 
the  one  thing  he  feared.  "  It's  clear  sailing,  then — 
there  never  was  a  divorce  wanted,  in  America,  that 
could  not  be  had  legally,  somewhere.  Come,  dear, 
tell  me  the  whole  story — let  me  look  for  the  way 
out." 

He  put  her  in  a  chair  by  the  window,  where  the 
slanting  sunlight  danced,  with  iridated  steps,  among 
the  ruddy  hair. 

"  Now,  sweetheart !  "  he  said. 

"  Where  shall  I  begin,"  she  asked ;  "  with  the 
wedding?  " 

He  nodded. 

"  I  married  Landor  privately,  almost  secretly,  ten 
years  ago,  in  New  York,  after  an  acquaintance  of 
less  than  a  week.  Of  course,  there  was  no  excuse; 
but  the  reason  was,  orphanage  since  childhood — 
years  spent  in  the  close  confinement,  and  the  man- 
banishment,  of  a  notably  strict  convent  school 
(wherein  my  dear  guardian  was  pleased  to  imprison 
me,  during  the  period  of  his  authority) — the 
natural  rebound,  upon  release  and  entire  freedom 
from  restraint — the  absolute  possession,  at  eighteen, 
of  ample  wealth — the  impetuousness  of  a  first  in- 
fatuation, and  the  practised  wiles  of  a  handsome, 
fascinating  scoundrel. 


KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING          283 

"  I  married  him,  a  light-hearted,  happy  child.  I 
left  him,  less  than  a  month  thereafter,  a  heart-sick, 
and  embittered  woman.  He  had  ensnared  me,  solely 
for  my  fortune.  I  had  little  physical  beauty  to 
attract  him ;  such  as  I  have  came  later — even  this ;  " 
(touching  her  hair)  "it  was  black,  and  not  over- 
abundant. We  went  abroad  immediately.  Before 
we  were  out  twenty-four  hours,  he  was  maneuvering 
to  get  possession  of  my  money.  It  went  on  per- 
sistently, day  after  day;  blandishments,  then  per- 
suasion, argument,  insistence,  demands,  threats — 
violence. — He  ran  the  whole  gamut  in  a  week.  He 
knocked  me  down,  repeatedly — never  with  his  fist, 
it  would  leave  a  mark;  but  with  pillows,  striking 
me  in  the  face  a  sweeping  blow,  that  almost  never 
failed  to  send  me  prostrate.  At  first,  I  was  simply 
surprised  and  unhappy ;  then,  as  he  grew  worse,  and 
I  began  to  understand  his  motives,  I  went  furious. 
I  defied  him,  I  reviled  him.  I  fear  I  did  everything 
but  return  his  blows.  I  hated  him,  now,  so  fiercely 
that,  dominated  by  the  convent's  teaching,  I  began 
to  fear  for  the  safety  of  my  soul.  Divorce  was  not 
to  be  thought  of — to  me,  then,  marriage  was 
Heaven-made  and  indissoluble. 

"  Racked  between  hate  and  the  bigotry  of  Creed, 
I  hit  upon  a  middle  course.  I  offered  him  a  money 
consideration  for  a  separation.  He  demanded  half 
my  fortune.  We  compromised  on  a  fifth.  The 
agreement  was  put  in  duplicate,  and  signed  by  us 
both.  We  mutually  released  each  other  from  all 


personal  obligations  and  rights  of  inheritance.  The 
marriage  was  never  to  be  referred  to,  by  either.  If, 
by  chance,  we  met,  there  was  not  to  be  the  slightest 
recognition  (which  he  violates,  now,  because  he 
wishes  more  money) — and,  lastly,  save  for  re- 
marriage, both  were  to  be  absolutely  untrammelled 
in  action,  to  the  widest  limit. 

"  This  was  in  Vienna.  He  departed,  forthwith, 
and,  until  the  other  night  in  the  hall  of  Fairlawn, 
I  have  never  seen  him  since.  I  lingered  a  few  days ; 
then  went  to  London,  assuming,  for  the  purpose  of 
concealment,  my  present  name.  There,  I  collapsed. 
For  months,  I  lay  in  a  hospital;  my  brain  on  fire; 
life  and  reason  in  the  balance.  At  last,  they  won; 
and  then,  to  the  marvel  of  the  physicians,  my  voice- 
tones  were  softened,  and  my  hair,  when  it  was 
permitted  to  grow,  was  red.  They  could  not  ex- 
plain it,  but  that  didn't  alter  the  fact.  It  is  this 
change  in  me,  that  puzzled  Landor,  and  made  him 
so  doubtful  of  his  recognition. 

"  Having  no  near  relatives,  indeed,  not  a  soul  on 
earth  for  whom  I  cared  a  single  thought,  I  buried 
myself  in  myself,  and  with  Mrs.  Jamison — who  had 
been  my  nurse  in  the  hospital — wandered  over 
Europe  for  years.  Through  my  bankers,  I  kept 
informed  of  Landor's  whereabouts;  other  than 
them,  however,  I  had  no  communication  with  any 
one,  in  America.  Many  times,  I  met  persons  I  had 
known  before  my  marriage,  but  they  never  recog- 
nized me.  Once,  on  the  terrace  at  Monte  Carlo, 


KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING          285 

I  came  face  to  face  with  the  girl  who  was  my 
particular  chum,  at  the  convent ;  she  looked  me  over, 
in  the  impudently  appraising  way  women  have  with 
one  another,  and  passed  on.  Yet,  within  that  week, 
I  had  received  through  the  bankers,  a  letter  from 
her,  addressed  to  me  by  my  maiden  name,  wanting 
to  know  all  about  me  since  our  graduation.  It  was 
this  conclusive  proof  of  my  disguise,  which  made 
me  willing  to  return  to  the  United  States.  When  I 
left  Venice,  the  day  after  our  affair  on  the  Canal, 
I  was  bound  for  New  York.  Last  Autumn,  I 
drifted  here ;  I  liked  the  country  and  the  riding ; 
and,  later,  the  people — when  I  got  to  know  them. 
I  rented  this  house;  and — that  is  all." 

Harwood  was  one  of  those  rare  individuals,  who 
never  interrupt  a  narrative  to  ask  a  question;  he 
knew  that,  if  he  waited,  and  the  question  were 
really  material,  the  answer  was  pretty  sure  to  ap- 
pear, further  on.  If  it  did  not,  then  was  the  time 
to  ask  it.  So  he  had  said  no  word,  while  Mildred 
told  her  story ;  and,  at  the  conclusion,  save  for 
minor  details,  there  was  little  needful  for  a  clear 
understanding  of  the  situation.  It  needed,  how- 
ever, the  agreement  of  separation  and  a  lawyer,  to 
know  the  legal  aspect  of  the  question,  as  to  divorce. 
But  even  his  lay  mind  could  appreciate  something 
of  the  impediment  in  the  article,  if  its  terms  were 
as  she  gave  them.  So  far  as  he  could  see,  there 
was,  at  the  moment,  no  ground  whatever  for  her 
to  obtain  release. 


286         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"You  have  your  copy  of  the  agreement?"  he 
asked. 

"  Not  here ;  it  is  at  my  bankers." 

"  Would  you  be  willing  to  show  it  to  Judge 
Casson,  for  his  opinion?  ....  No?  Then,  will 
you  give  me  an  order  for  it,  and  let  me  consult  some 
responsible  lawyer,  there,  who  does  not  know  either 
of  us?" 

"  Yes,  dear — if  you  wish  it." 

"  And  you  will  divorce  him,  if,  under  the  agree- 
ment and  his  lif  e  since,  there  be  a  way  ?  " 

"  Gladly !     Gladly !  " 

"  And  then,  Fairlawn  gets  its  Betty  Colleton." 

"  She  would  be  little  pleased  with  her  successor," 
Mildred  answered.  "  No ;  it  is  not  right  to  burden 
yourself  with  a  divorced  woman.  You  owe  it  to 
your  name,  to  give  Fairlawn  a  mistress  above  re- 
proach." She  bent  over  and  took  his  hands.  "  I 
love  you  too  much,  Colleton,  to  let  you  marry  me." 

He  put  her  objection  aside  with  an  indulgent 
smile,  bent  on  bringing  her  to  cheerfulness. 

"  Mildred !  "  he  said,  drawing  her  still  nearer, 
"  there  is  no  more  doubt  of  your  marrying  me,  than 
there  is  that  I  love  you — and  you  believe  that,  don't 
you?" 

She  looked  at  him,  seriously,  and  no  answering 
smile  broke  through. 

"  Yes,  dear,  I  believe  it — and  there's  the  pity  for 
us  both;  it  makes  me  none  the  less  Lander's  wife. 
Nor  is  that  all.  He  says  he  will  smirch  me." 


KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING         287 

"  I  do  not  understand,"  said  Harwood. 

"  Landor  was  here,  just  now;  you  should  have 
passed  him  on  the  avenue.  He  demanded  seventy- 
n've  thousand  dollars  as  the  price  of  silence;  if  I 
refuse,  he  will  proclaim  me  as  his  wife,  but  with 
such  detail  as  will  dishonor  me." 

Harwood's  face  had  lost  the  pleasant  smile ;  it  was 
stern  and  hard. 

"  Incredible !  "  he  exclaimed ;  "  even  in  him,  in- 
credible ! " 

"  No ;  it's  not  incredible.  Another  Northumbrian 
did  just  that  same  thing,  not  long  ago — and  more, 
he  thereby  smirched  his  child,  also.  No,  no,  dear, 
it  is  not  incredible — not  where  Landor  is  concerned. 
He  will  do  it,  if  I  refuse  to  pay. — And  I  shall 
refuse.  He  will  drain  me  of  every  dollar,  if  I  let 
him  intimidate  me.  I  was  silly  enough  once  to 
condone  his  brutality,  by  that  agreement  of  separa- 
tion; I  shan't  err  again.  It  is  divorce,  now. — But 
that  won't  help  us,  Colleton — he  will  smirch  me 
all  the  deeper,  then." 

"  My  dear  little  girl !  you  can't  imagine  that  any- 
thing he,  or  anyone  else,  were  to  say  against  you 
would  affect  me !  Landor  and  his  tales  be  damned ! 
— I  beg  your  pardon,  Mildred ;  I " 

"  I  liked  it,  dear,"  she  said ;  then  bent  down  close 
to  him.  "  You  may  kiss  me,  for  it,  if  you  wish." 

If  he  wished ! 

"  There,  that  will  do !  I  meant  you  to  take  only 
one." 


"  I  was  kissing  away  the  smirch ! "  he  smiled. 
Then  he  sobered.  "  By  all  means,  dear,  refuse  to 
pay;  his  attempt  to  extort  will  go  far  to  account 
for  his  aspersions,  and  help  much  toward  the 
divorce.  If  only  we  were  back  in  the  days  of  small 
clothes  and  rapier!  I  should  have  a  friend  pick  a 
quarrel  with  him,  and  run  him  neatly  through  the 
heart — or  do  it  myself;  preferably  the  latter. — 
When  are  you  to  give  him  your  answer?  " 

"  My  time  expires  with  the  breaking  of  the  Ball." 
"  Shall  I  permit  him  to  remain  for  it?  " 
"  Yes — I  want  to  end  with  him,  if  possible." 
"  As  you  wish — though  I  should  like  to  expose 
him    to    the    guests,    and    have    him    turned    out, 
forcibly." 

"  You  can  do  that,  to-morrow ;  after  he  exposes 
me." 

Harwood  smiled  grimly.  "  I  shall  send  for  you 
to  come  over  and  see  the  turning  out. — And  it  may 
be  well  to  retain  him  to-night,  if  you  can  manage 
to  have  me  overhear  your  talk.  It  might  be  useful 
evidence,  in  the  divorce  case;  though,  as  he  could 
show  me  to  be  anything  but  a  disinterested  witness, 
someone  else  would  be  more  effective." 
She  shook  her  head,  decidedly. 
"  No !  at  present,  I  want  no  other  confidant  than 
you,"  she  answered.  "  And  there  isn't  any  need  for 
talk;  I  refused  this  afternoon.  There  is  no  occa- 
sion to  address  him,  unless  I  change — which  I 
won't.  Nor  am  I  so  sure  he  will  denounce  me, 


KNAVE,  QUEEN  AND  KING         289 

to-morrow.  He  has  another  string  to  the  bow." 
And  she  told  him  of  Hilda  Gordon. 

"  Well !  "  said  Harwood,  when  she  ended,  "  Tony 
seems  to  be  about  right. — He  has  always  insisted 
that  Landor  has  a  yellow  streak.  The  only  mistake 
he  made,  is  in  the  number." 

A  little  later,  as  he  arose  to  go,  he  noticed,  on  a 
table,  the  snuff-box.  He  picked  it  up,  and  looked 
inside  and  out  for  the  marks. 

"  They  are  not  there,  now,"  she  explained.  "  I 
had  them  removed,  the  next  morning." 

"  What  were  they,  dear?  "  he  asked,  curiously. — 
"  May  I  know?  " 

"  The  date  of  the  marriage,  and  a  word  in  Greek ; 
Landor  scratched  them  in  the  lid,  the  evening  after 
the  ceremony." 

"And  the  word?" 

'"AEI."' 

He  laughed  softly. 

"  I  will  put  it  back,"  he  said,  "  but  with  another 
date." 


19 


XVII 

THE  PENALTY  OF  THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE 

BEFORE  Harwood  went  back  to  Northumberland, 
he  had  talked  over,  with  Judge  Casson,  the  matter 
of  a  large  evening  function  at  Fairlawn,  in  which 
all  social  Egerton  could  be  included.  Being  a 
bachelor,  he  saw  no  occasion  for  waiting  until  he 
himself  had  been  entertained,  and  it  would  afford 
the  opportunity  to  meet  everyone  promptly,  as  well 
as  show  his  good  will  and  desire  to  be  one  of  them. 

And  the  Judge  had  heartily  approved ;  assuring 
him  that  it  would  be  fully  in  accord  with  the  Fair- 
lawn  custom  and  tradition — that  the  new  Master 
always  gave  a  Ball  at  the  end  of  the  period  of 
mourning,  which  Captain  Beverly,  in  his  will,  had 
specifically  directed  his  son  should  not  exceed  a 
period  of  six  months.  Thereafter,  this  limitation 
had  always  been  honored  by  the  heir,  as,  indeed,  was 
everything  touching  him  and  the  fair  Betty. 

As  to  the  character  of  the  entertainment,  the 
Judge  had  favored  a  Costume  Ball.  He  spoke  of 
a  number  he  had  attended  at  Fairlawn ;  particularly 
one  of  some  forty  years  before,  of  marvellous  beauty 
and  success.  To  Harwood's  suggestion,  that  the 
Egertonians  might  not  care  to  purchase,  nor  to 
prepare  special  dress,  for  only  an  evening's  diver- 
sion, he  explained  that  it  would  not  be  necessary; 

290 


THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE  291 

every  family  had,  laid  away  in  lavender,  more  than 
enough  beautiful,  old  costumes  to  supply  its  mem- 
bers, twice  over — men  as  well  as  women ;  adding 
that  the  hair  trunks  and  the  chests,  in  Fairlawn's 
own  garret,  contained  sufficient  for  all  the  guests 
he  might  bring  with  him. 

Harwood  offered  no  further  objection.  The 
affair  appealed  to  him  strongly ;  it  was  particularly 
appropriate  to  the  old  house ;  it  was  picturesque ; 
and  it  should  be  sufficiently  informal,  even  from 
the  start,  to  make  it  a  success.  So,  he  delegated  to 
the  Judge  the  sending  of  the  invitations — he  would 
know  whom  to  bid — and  himself  notified  Mrs. 
Leicester  to  advise  her  party,  so  that  they  could 
come  prepared.  It  was  doubtless  true  as  to  the 
supply  of  costumes  at  Fairlawn,  but  he  had  no  mind 
to  impose  them  upon  those  whom  Evelyn  would 
bring  down.  If  they  wanted  any  of  them,  after 
they  got  here,  and  had  looked  them  over,  well  and 
good;  but  he  knew  better  than  to  oblige  a  woman 
to  wear  a  gown  not  of  her  own  choosing. 

For  himself,  however,  the  Fairlawn  collection 
sufficed.  As  they  crossed  the  hall,  a  little  later  that 
evening,  the  Judge's  glance  had  fallen  upon  the 
Peale  portrait  of  Captain  Beverly  Harwood,  in  Con- 
tinental uniform.  He  wheeled  Colleton  into  the 
drawing-room,  and,  halting  before  it,  told  him,  there 
was  his  costume, — and  that,  for  him  to  wear  it,  the 
most  gracious  compliment  he  could  pay  his  new 
friends.  In  the  same  breath,  he  sent  William  to  get 


292         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

it ;  and  when  it  was  come,  he  opened  the  tin  case  and 
took  out  the  regimental  coat  of  blue  faced  with  red, 
the  single  epaulette  of  gold,  the  blue  waistcoat,  the 
knee  breeches  of  white.  Meanwhile,  from  the  wall 
in  the  library,  William  had  brought  the  silver- 
hilted,  slender  dress-sword. 

And  Harwood  had  looked  at  the  portrait,  and 
down  at  the  uniform,  and  up  again  at  the  portrait ; 
and  then,  to  please  the  Judge  much,  and  maybe 
himself  a  little,  he  consented;  conditioned,  of 
course,  that  it  pleased  the  uniform  to  fit  him. 

Harwood  received  his  guests  in  the  hall,  with 
Judge  Casson  beside  him  to  present  them.  For 
to-night,  the  mellow  light  of  innumerable  candles, 
softened  the  cold,  white  glare  of  the  electricity, 
and  shone  smilingly  upon  the  silks  and  satins,  the 
broadcloth  and  velvet  of  these  Egertonians  of  long 
ago — as  they  thronged  through  the  wide  panelled- 
hall,  past  the  man  in  Continental  uniform,  who — 
hair  powdered,  cocked-hat  under  arm,  dress-sword 
by  side — greeted  them  with  all  the  gracious  cour- 
tesy and  courtly  manner  of  Captain  Beverly 
himself. 

"  You  do  Fairlawn  proud,  sir ! "  the  old  man 
exclaimed,  when  the  line  ended,  and  they  stood  for 
a  moment  alone.  "  Never  in  my  time,  sir,  has  it 
had  a  more  gallant  Master — and  I  have  known 
three." 

Harwood  put  the  compliment  aside,  with  a  laugh. 


THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE  293 

"  Are  there  many  more  guests  to  come  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  No,"  said  the  Judge,  after  a  moment's  con- 
sideration, "  I  think  they  all  are  here.  If  they're 
not,  they  ought  to  be ;  so  don't  wait,  if  you  want  to 
move  around." 

Harwood  looked  at  him  quizzically. 

"  Haven't  you  forgot  at  least  one?  "  he  asked — 
"  I  didn't  observe  Mrs.  Gascoyne  go  by." 

"  By  gracious,  sir,  you're  right !  But  I'm  glad 
to  see  that  you  remembered."  He  hesitated,  looked 
away ;  then,  suddenly,  it  came  out.  "  Tell  me,  my 
boy,  tell  me!  are  Mrs.  Leicester  and  you  be- 
trothed?" 

Harwood  dropped  a  hand  contritely  upon  the 
other's  shoulder. 

"  My  dear,  old  friend !  "  he  said,  "  it  was  not  kind 
in  me  to  have  led  you  to  that  notion,  at  that  first 
dinner  of  ours.  Mrs.  Leicester  and  I  are  not 
engaged,  and  never  shall  be — go  in  and  win  her^  if 
you  wish,"  as  a  smile  broke  over  the  wrinkled  face. 

"  It  wasn't  for  myself,  I  asked,"  the  Judge  re- 
plied. "  I  am  past  the  age  of  marriageable  dis- 
crimination. It  was  because  I  hoped  that,  if  it  were 
not  Mrs.  Leicester,  it  might — perchance, — be  an- 
other.— Now,  sir,  I  have  transgressed  beyond  all 
proper  limits  ! — I  beg  your — 

"Whom  do  you  mean,  Judge  Casson?"  said 
Harwood. — "Mrs.  Gascoyne?" 

"  Mrs.  Gascoyne." 


294         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  Then,  let  me  tell  you,  in  strictest  confidence, 
that  I  have  already  done  myself  the  honor  of  asking 
her  to  become  Fairlawn's  mistress." 

"  And  she  accepted? — She  accepted?  " 

"  No — but  I  have  hopes. — Ah,  there  she  is, 
now ! " 

He  stepped  out  to  meet  her.  The  slender  figure 
in  white  velvet  skirt  and  tight-fitting,  military 
tunic,  braided  and  corded  in  gold,  a  short  black 
cape  around  her  shoulders,  a  white-plumed,  silver 
helmet  on  the  ruddy  hair. 

"  At  last !  "  he  said,  bowing  over  her  hand.  "  I 
was  growing  anxious.  Now,  the  real  evening 
begins." 

"  You  dear  flatterer ! "  she  answered,  softly,  her 
fingers  pressing  his. 

"  Let  us  walk,"  he  said — "  into  the  garden,  where 
I  can  tell  you  properly,  just  how  lovely  you  are; 
there  the  shadows  and  hedges " 

"  Wait,"  she  smiled,  "  wait  a  little  while ;  for  us 
to  go  off  together,  at  once,  would  provoke  comment 
— you  are  the  host,  you  must  remember.  Come,  in 
an  hour." 

"  Where  shall  I  find  you?  " 

"  Oh,  with  some  nice  man,"  she  teased — "  down 
in  the  garden !  " 

"  Certainly — down  in  the  garden  with  me,"  said 
Wilberforce,  coming  up  behind  them,  costumed  as 
a  Pilgrim  Father,  the  corners  of  his  mouth  pencilled 
down  for  piety,  a  pack  of  playing-cards  sewed  over 


THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE  295 

his  coat,  a  copy  of  Masuccio  in  his  hand.  "  Back 
to  your  post,  you  ass  in  a  lion's  skin ! "  he  com- 
manded. "  Diana  wants  the  real  goods — to  wit, 
myself — an  honest  intolerant  on  to  his  job."  He 
offered  both  his  arms,  down  the  sleeves  of  which 
the  red  court-cards  were  strung  in  suit.  "  Which 
will  you  have,  lady — diamonds  or  hearts?  " 

"  Diamonds !  "  laughed  Mildred,  with  a  quick 
glance  at  Colleton — which  Tony  intercepted. 

"  Which  leaves  the  hearts  for  some  one  else,  you 
mean,"  he  said,  instantly.  "  So  be  it,  my  chil- 
dren— pax  vobiscum!  You'll  find  us  in  the  garden, 
Harwood." 

Colleton  went  back  to  the  Judge.  The  old  man 
wore  the  suit  of  a  Colonial  ancestor,  and — in  blue 
broadcloth  coat  trimmed  in  gold,  and  cut  back  over 
a  be-laced  shirt  and  flowered  waistcoat,  breeches  of 
white  satin,  black  silk  stockings  and  low-shoes  with 
silver  buckles,  tall  cravat  marvellously  folded,  pow- 
dered wig  tied  with  ribbon  at  the  neck — he  looked 
the  old  regime,  indeed. 

"  Would  you  like  to  walk  through  the  rooms  with 
me  ?  "  said  Colleton. 

"  Very  much,  sir,  very  much — Harwood  and  Cas- 
son  together,  as  of  yore.  I  love  the  past,  and  the 
things  of  it.  I'm  glad  to  get  back  into  it  to-night 
— for  the  last  time,  doubtless,  for  the  last  time." 

The  music  glided  softly  into  the  dreamy,  sensuous 
waltz  of  a  recent  fame ;  the  dancers  began  to  sway 
slowly  through  the  drawing-room  and  out  into  the 


296         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

hall.  Here  and  there,  a  bare  and  rounded  arm 
hung  far  out,  marking  with  languorous  wrist,  the 
intoxicating  throb  of  the  rhythm.  Harwood  him- 
self, unconsciously,  was  humming,  faintly,  the 
words. 

"  The  modern  dance  may  be  well  enough,"  the 
Judge  went  on,  "  but,  to  my  mind,  it  grows  more 
abandoned  every  year.  Give  me,  sir,  the  minuet, 
or  the  gay,  romping  Virginia  reel." 

"  We  will  have  the  reel  to-night,"  said  Harwood ; 
"  it  shall  close  the  ball. — Oh !  Mrs.  Leicester  says 
you  had  a  nasty  crack  on  the  head,  this  morning, 
how  is  it?  " 

"  Well,  I'm  old  enough  to  admit  that  it  is  pretty 
sore.  It  was  glancing  blow;  had  the  limb  hit  me 
full,  the  Buzzard  would  have  claimed  its  own  again. 
As  it  was,  I  rode  a  mile  at  least,  automatically, 
conscious  but  not  knowing.  I've  got  a  knob  under 
the  wig,  near  the  temple,  as  big  as  your  fist — or  it 
feels  so " 

Evelyn  Leicester  swung  slowly  by  in  Fordyce's 
sturdy  arm ;  the  spangled  scarlet  and  black  of  her 
Spanish  dress,  outlined  sharply  against  his  Louis 
Quinze  suit  of  white  silk.  She  caught  Harwood's 
eye,  and  flung  him  a  kiss,  and  an  alluring  smile. 

"  The  lady  is  something  of  a  coquette,"  the 
Judge  remarked.  "  And  quite  between  ourselves, 
my  boy,  she  has  my  indifferent  nephew  considerably 
fussed — as  your  Mr.  Wilberforce,  would  say.  I  be- 
lieve he  is  actually  falling  in  love.  Sometimes,  there 


THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE  297 

are  young  fools,  as  well  as  old  ones.  He  ought  to 
know  that  such  as  Mrs.  Leicester  are  not  for 
him — even  if  he  be  a  Fordyce  of  Egerton,  he  is  only 
a  country-lawyer;  she  is  a  beauty  and  heiress  of 
the  great  world." 

"  My  dear  Judge,  you  are  much  too  modest. 
Why  shouldn't  Fordyce  seek  her,  if  he  wish,  and 
she  give  him  hope?  If  Evelyn  marry  again,  it  will 
be  solely  for  love,  I  assure  you.  Moreover,  I'm 
sufficiently  selfish  to  wish  him  well — I  should  be 
delighted  to  have  her  here  in  Egerton.  And  it 
would  be  a  fine  thing  for  Egerton,  too." 

Evelyn  and  Fordyce  came  circling  back,  and  she 
halted  suddenly. 

"  Come,  Colleton  !  "  she  commanded,  "  dance  with 
me." 

With  an  indulgent  laugh,  he  slipped  his  arm 
about  her  lithe  waist  and  swung  her  away. 

"  Wait ! "  she  called  back  to  Fordyce,  im- 
periously. 

"Will  he  wait?"  Harwood  asked. 

"  I  think  so,"  she  said,  a  merry  gleam  in  the  black 
eyes — "  he  is  becoming  very  tractable." 

"  They  all  do,  for  you !  Yet  isn't  this  rather 
heartless,  Evelyn  ?  You  wouldn't  marry  him." 

She  raised  her  eyebrows.  "  Is  that  a  question 
or  a  conclusion?  " 

"  Both." 

"  Why  shouldn't  I  marry  him?  " 

"  I  haven't  any  reason — you  have  dozens." 


298         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  A  few  of  which  are  ?  " 

"  As  apparent  to  you  as  to  me." 

"  Should  you  be  surprised,  if  I  married  him?  " 

"  Good  Lord,  yes !  You're  not  contemplating 
it?" 

"  No  —  not  contemplating,  yet  —  considering, 
maybe."  She  looked  up  with  sudden  seriousness. 
*'  There  is  something  very  dependable  in  him,  Colle- 
ton — almost  as  dependable  as  you,  dear.  And  he  is 
a  gentleman — well-born — and  a  man,  all  around. — 
I'm  getting  old  enough  to  recognize  the  real  sort. 
They  seem  to  be  rather  rare,  too;  and  now,  since 
you  are  about  to  desert  me,  it's 

"  I  have  no  notion  of  deserting  you ! "  his  arm 
gathering  her  closer. 

"  Don't  let  Fordyce  see  you !  "  she  laughed ;  "  he 
is  sufficiently  jealous  as  it  is — he  doesn't  see  that 
you  are  bent  on  marrying  the  widow." 

"And  you  do?" 

"  Aren't  you  ?  "  she  demanded. 

He  lowered  his  head  close  to  hers.  "  If  she  will 
have  me,  yes." 

She  had  not  been  wholly  in  earnest,  and  for  a 
moment  she  made  no  reply. 

"Are  you  quite  sure,  Colleton,  that  it  is  wise?  " 
she  asked,  doubtfully.  "  What  about  Landor?  " 

"  I  know  all  about  Landor — she  knew  him  when 
she  was  a  mere  girl — and  now  Evelyn,  promise  me 
that  you  will  be  content  with  that,  and  let  the 
matter  drop." 


THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE  299 

"  Of  course,  I'll  promise,  dear !  I'll  do  it  for 
her,  as  well  as  for  you.  It  is  none  of  my  affair, 
anyway — you  are  quite  capable  of  judging  for 
yourself.  And  I  like  her — I  have  from  the  very 
first. — You  shall  live  at  Fairlawn?  " 

"  Yes — whether  Mrs.  Gascoyne  marry  me,  or 
not,  I  shall  live  here." 

"  Really,  you  make  me  more  than  ever  inclined 
to  marry  in  Egerton,"  she  laughed. 

Then  the  music  ceased,  and  he  took  her  back  to 
Fordyce. 

"  Madame  thinks  I  have  kept  you  waiting  over- 
long  ! "  he  said.  "  If  so  " — bowing  to  her,  hat  on 
breast,  and  hand  on  sword  hilt — "  my  apology 
must  be  madame,  herself. — How  was  that,  for  living 
up  to  my  costume?  "  and  slipping  his  hand  through 
Judge  Casson's  arm,  he  bore  him  off  for  a  tour  of 
the  house  and  garden  and  a  word  with  the  older 
guests. 

Meanwhile,  Henry  Landor,  handsome  as  a  hero, 
in  bonnet,  doublet,  and  hose  of  black,  having  done 
his  duty  in  the  house,  had  slipped  out  to  the  garden, 
alone.  He  had  seen  Mrs.  Gascoyne  go  with 
Wilberforce,  and  he  sought  another  word  with  her, 
before  he  essayed  the  final  play  with  Hilda  Gordon. 
There  had  been  a  very  disquieting  letter  from  his 
office  awaiting  him,  that  afternoon,  when  he  re- 
turned from  The  Oaks — the  Firm  had  directed  a 
Northumberland  attorney  to  look  into  the  matter 
of  the  Bonds.  So  it  was  for  him  to  strike  for  the 


300         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

money,  this  very  night.  What  his  people  wanted 
was  the  cash;  they  would  be  more  than  willing  not 
to  prosecute.  Banks  and  brokers  are  always  ready 
to  become  accessory  after  the  fact,  to  any  embezzle- 
ment or  defalcation  from  themselves,  so  long  as  the 
amount  is  refunded. 

On  a  bench,  near  the  postern  gate,  he,  presently, 
discerned  the  pair  he  sought.  Sauntering  slowly 
down  the  path,  he  affected  to  recognize  them  only 
as  he  was  passing. 

"  Well !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  you  are  a  selfish  chap, 
Wilberforce.  You've  monopolized  Mrs.  Gascoyne 
ever  since  she  came.  It  is  my  turn  now — run 
along." 

Wilberforce  felt  the  faintest  touch  of  detention 
on  his  arm, — and  understood. 

"  Your  turn  doesn't  come  until  the  morning  after 
to-morrow,"  he  said,  waving  Landor  away.  "  Be 
gone,  until  the  appointed  hour ! " 

"  And  will  not  madame  herself  intervene  for 
me?  "  asked  Landor,  with  a  meaning  glance. 

"  Madame  will  not,"  said  Mildred  curtly. 

"  Nor  any  time — before  the  breaking  of  the 
Ball?  " 

"  Nor  any  time." — Then  she  flouted  him. — "  I 
am  promised  to  Monsieur  Harwood  until  the  break- 
ing of  the  Ball." 
'  "  Selah !  "  said  Tony.     "  Vamose !  " 

But  Landor  had  the  last  word. 

"  Only  until  then?  "  he  asked  gayly,  as  he  turned 


THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE  301 

away.  "  Give  him  my  compliments  and  best 
wishes." 

To  Mildred,  however,  the  mockery  and  insinua- 
tion were  very  plain. 

Hilda  Gordon  was  with  a  crowd  in  the  billiard- 
room,  when  Landor  joined  her.  She  met  him  with 
a  familiar  little  nod,  and  a  welcoming  smile. 

"  Now,  I've  done  my  duty  by  the  mob,"  he  said ; 
"  so  come  along  and  do  yours,  by  being  nice  to  me. 
Shall  we  dance?  " 

"  Yes,  just  a  turn,  and  then  to  the  garden." 

She  was  determined  to  bring  him  to  capitulation 
to-night — to  which  end,  the  dance  would  be  a  help- 
ful preliminary;  and  she  gave  herself  to  him  with 
an  alluringness,  which,  with  her  costume,  scandal- 
ized the  amiable  dowagers  into  quick  retreat,  and 
well-nigh  precipitated  a  riot  among  the  Egertonian 
men,  in  their  effort  to  secure  her,  when  the  music 
stopped. 

But  she  laughed  them  all  away,  until  after  sup- 
per, leaving  them  staring  at  her,  as  she  went  off 
with  Landor.  And  she  was  good  to  stare  at,  in 
her  daringly  cut  gown  of  crimson  silk,  and  black 
silk  stockings  glistening  almost  to  her  knees. 

"  You  have  the  devil  in  you  to-night,  Hilda ! " 
said  Landor.  "  I'm  almost  afraid  of  you." 

"  Then  why  didn't  you  leave  me  to  the  others — 
they  were  not  afraid  of  me." 

He  pressed  her  arm  close,  and  drew  her  against 
him. 


302         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  I  don't  intend  ever  to  leave  you  to  another,"  he 
said. 

"  Indeed !  do  you  intend  to  abduct  me  ?  " 

"  I  do— legally." 

"  Then  catch  me ! "  she  laughed,  and  sprang 
down  the  stairs  and  through  the  billiard-room  win- 
dow into  the  garden,  with  him  in  close  pursuit. 

She  managed  that  he  overtook  her  in  an  arbor, 
where  the  moonlight  paused  outside;  but  when  he 
caught  her,  and  would  have  kissed  her,  she  laid  her 
hand  smartly  across  his  face,  and  twisted  away. 

"  There !  "  she  said,  dropping  on  a  bench,  "  don't 
be  so  impertinent ! "  She  put  out  her  hand. 
"  Now,  come  and  sit  beside  me,  and  be  good — not 
so  close  beside  me,  or  you  can't  be  good.  You 
are  amazingly  presumptuous — ordinarily,  you  be- 
have very  well,  indeed.  What  has  come  over  you, 
to-night?  " 

"  You ! "  he  said,  sweeping  her  with  a  compre- 
hensive glance.  "  You,  and  that  devilish  costume. 
Do  you  take  me  for  a  wooden  Indian  ?  " 

"  I  took  you  for  a  particularly  well-mannered 
man !  "  she  laughed. 

"But  not  a  blind  one?" 

"  No — no — not  blind ! — else  I  had  not  worn  this 
gown — stay  where  you  are !  if  you  come  nearer, 
I  shall  go  back  to  the  house,  or  out  into  the  bright- 
est spot  of  moonlight  I  can  find." 

"  But  I've  got  something  to  tell  you,  Hilda." 

"Tell  it!" 


THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE  303 

"  I  can't,  so  far  away." 

"  I  can  hear  you  perfectly. — No !  stay  there,  I 
say." 

She  saw  that  the  declaration  was  imminent,  and, 
for  a  little  while  longer,  she  played  him.  It  was 
delicious  to  worry  him,  knowing  that  she  had  him 
securely  hooked.  When  she  wearied,  and  was  ready 
for  the  finale,  she  arose. 

"  Let  us  go  in  and  dance,"  she  said.  "  You  have 
tormented  me  enough  for  one  evening." 

"  I !  "  he  laughed.  Then  he  stepped  in  front  of 
her — as  she  had  meant  he  should — and  seized  her 
hands,  also  as  she  had  meant. 

"  You  know  perfectly  well,  dear,  what  I  have 
been  trying  to  tell  you,"  he  said,  his  voice  tuned  to 
just  the  proper  tone  of  sentimental  intensity. 

"  No,"  she  said  archly — "  No,  I  don't.  What  is 
it?" 

He  drew  her  gently  back  to  the  seat. 

"  Will  you  marry  me,  Hilda?"  he  asked. 

"  Marry  you  ?  "  she  echoed,  as  though  astonished. 
"  Marry  you?  Do  you  mean  you  love  me?  " 

He  raised  her  hands,  and  kissed  the  pretty, 
slender  fingers. 

"  Surely,  dear,"  he  said,  "  you  must  know  that 
I  love  you — have  loved  you  these  many,  many 
months." 

She  laughed  derisively,  and  flung  aside  his  hands 
with  a  motion  of  vehement  disgust. 

"  Love    me !  "    she    mocked.     "  Love    me !     Yes, 


304         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

ardently,  overpoweringly,  so  much  of  me  as  my 
fortune,  and  my  assured  position  in  society.  More 
than  that —  — !  "  With  a  contemptuous  shrug,  she 
sprang  up,  and  made  to  go  by  him. 

He  blocked  the  way ;  his  brain  refused  to  credit 
his  ears  and  eyes.  It  was  simply  impossible ! — she 
could  not  be  serious ! — the  girl  was  in  love  with 
him,  as  certain  as 

"  Will  you  be  good  enough  to  let  me  pass,"  she 
said,  sharply. 

"  No !  "  he  exclaimed,  catching  her  by  the  wrist, 
"  no,  Hilda,  I  won't !  You  can't  mean  what  you 
say! — surely,  you  are  jesting! — you  must  know  I 
love  you — you " 

"  Spare  your  lies !  "  she  broke  in — "  and  release 
me.  If  you  do  not,  I  shall  call  for  help. — Thank 
you! — now,  stand  aside." 

"  You  have  deliberately  led  me  on  for  this  ?  "  he 
demanded,  grasping,  at  last,  that  she  really  was  in 
earnest. 

"  I  have !  "  she  laughed.  "  I  have,  indeed. — 
Should  you  like  to  know  the  reason  ?  " 

"  If  I  may,"  he  said,  humbly. 

He  could  not  imagine  what  she  had  against  him, 
what  he  had  done ;  and  there  was  the  chance  that  he 
could  explain  it  away,  and  catch  her  on  the  recoil, 
when  her  woman's  heart  softened  in  remorse  for 
her  injustice.  For  that  she  had  loved  him,  once, 
he  was  well  assured.  And  therein  he  was  right. 

"  You   may — and   gladly !  "   she   replied.     "  Do 


'NO!"    HE   KXCLAIMED;   "  NO,  HILDA,  1  WON'T." 


-, <  K.X, 


THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE  305 

you  remember  a  certain  Saturday  night,  down  at 
the  Heights,  a  few  weeks  ago — when  the  grille- 
room  was  celebrating  a  golf  victory,  and  you  were 
among  a  crowd  of  garrulous  men  at  one  of  the  big 
tables?  If  you  do,  you  will  recall  that  some  of 
you  were  so  forgetful  of  propriety,  as  to  bring 
women  into  your  talk — reputable  women,  I  mean. 
I  was  one  of  the  women ;  brought  in  by  you.  Some 
one  asked  why  you  didn't  marry,  and  you  replied : — 
4  I  could  marry  to-morrow.  The  Gordon  girl  is 
so  crazy  about  me,  I  have  only  to  whistle — and  she 
even  will  pay  the  parson.  I'm  about  ready  to 
whistle,  too — those  millions  look  pretty  good  to 
me.'  " 

He  clenched  back  an  oath.  It  was  the  one  time 
in  his  two  years  at  Northumberland,  that  he  had 
let  himself  indulge  beyond  the  line  of  loosened 
tongue.  And  now,  it  had  come  back  upon  him  with 
fatal  judgment.  Yet  he  still  could  lie — and  no 
clubman  would  admit  having  babbled. 

"  Surely,  Hilda,  you  can't  believe  so  shameful  a 
thing  of  me !  "  he  said,  with  hurt  surprise.  "  Some 
one  has  been  deliberately  trying  to  break  up 
our " 

She  cut  him  short,  with  a  jeering  laugh. 

"  Save  your  conscience,  if  you  have  one ! "  she 
exclaimed.  **  I  know,  as  well  as  you,  that  Club 
doings  must  never  pass  the  club-house  doors;  but 
they  do — this  of  yours  did ;  I  have  taken  the  trouble 
to  verify  it  beyond  all  question. — You  have 
20 


306         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

whistled,  Mr.  Landor — how  do  the  millions  look  to 
you,  now?  " 

"  Pretty  sad !  "  he  answered. 

The  game  was  up,  and  he  was  not  of  the  sort  to 
whine  uselessly — nor  to  let  her  see  that  she  had 
touched  him. 

"  It  will  look  sadder  still  when  this  tale  gets  back 
to  Northumberland,"  she  retorted.  "  Here,  I  shall 
tell  it  myself,  to-morrow  at  luncheon.  Whether 
you  remain  to  hear  it,  is  for  you  to  determine." 

She  turned  on  her  heel,  and  left  him. 

Landor  waited  a  few  moments,  then  went  slowly 
back  to  the  house.  What  to  do  now !  The  refusal 
was  so  unexpected,  and  he  had  been  so  absolutely 
confident,  that  his  mind  was  slow  in  adjusting  itself 
to  the  sudden  change. 

In  the  hall,  William  met  him  with  a  telegram. 
He  tore  it  open;  it  was  from  his  office,  and  in 
cipher.  Ordinarily,  he  could  have  read  it,  or 
enough,  at  least,  to  gather  the  general  meaning, 
but  now  there  was  not  one  familiar  word.  He  went 
up  to  his  room,  and,  from  the  code,  wrote  out  the 
translation. 

"  Warrant  issued  this  evening.  Officer  starts  to-night  for 
Egerton  to  serve  it." 

And  his  last  chance  to  obtain  the  money  had 
just  failed  him ! 

For  a  long  while,  he  sat  at  the  desk,  twisting  and 
untwisting  the  yellow  sheet — thinking,  scheming, 


THE  LOOSENED  TONGUE  307 

planning — the  way  out — the  way  out!  And 
always  the  same  conclusion: — there  was  no  way, 
save  in  flight. 

At  length,  he  slowly  tore  the  telegram  and  its 
translation  into  fragments,  and  dropped  them  in 
the  waste-basket.  From  his  bag,  he  took  a  bundle 
of  time-tables  and  a  steanlship  guide.  The  point, 
now,  was  to  get  away,  and  disappear;  later — when 
the  search  had  subsided — he  could  drift  over  to 
some  quiet  seaport,  and  slip  off  to  foreign  parts. 
Of  course,  if  he  could  find  a  likely  means  to  leave 
the  country  immediately,  so  much  the  better. 

In  the  midst  of  his  calculations,  he  suddenly  flung 
down  his  pencil,  and  sat  up  sharply. 

"  By  the  Lord,  there  is  another  chance ! "  he 
exclaimed.  "  This  time,  my  dear  wife,  I  fancy  you 

will  think  a  bit  before  you  refuse Yet, 

you're  a  stubborn  fool,  so  I  best  prepare  my  route." 

He  took  up  the  pencil,  and  went  back  to  maps 
and  schedules. 


XVIII 

THE    BREAKING    OF    THE    BALL 

WHEN  Harwood  went  for  Mildred,  there  were 
others  than  Wilberf orce  on  guard ;  and,  at  last,  to 
displace  them,  he  exerted  the  host's  privilege,  and 
bore  her  off  for  a  dance,  despite  their  protests  that 
she  had  refused  them  all. 

"  You  are  a  very  masterful  sort  of  man ! "  she 
smiled — "  do  you  know  it  ?  " 

"  Is  it  masterful  to  take  what  belongs  to  one  ?  " 
he  asked. 

"  It  depends  entirely  on  how  it  is  done.  You 
almost  picked  me  up,  and  carried  me  away." 

"  I  should  have  liked  nothing  better ! " — He 
glanced  quickly  around 

"  No,  you  don't !  "  she  exclaimed,  and  sped  out 
into  the  moonlight,  and  into  view  of  the  crowd 
near  the  house.  "  Moreover,"  (leaning  close  to 
him,  now)  "  I'm  not  yours,  sweetheart — yet." 

What  he  would  have  answered  was  prevented  by 
Judge  Casson,  who  came  upon  them  from  a  side 
path. 

"  Ah,  Colleton,  I  was  searching  for  you,"  he 
said.  "  If  you  will  excuse  me,  I  shall  slip  off  home 
presently.  I'm  sorry  to  miss  the  Reel,  but  I'm 
afraid  my  head  would  not  permit."  He  held  out  a 
hand  to  each.  "  I'll  make  my  farewells  now,  and 

308 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     309 

not  bother  you  later.  What  do  you  think  of  our 
Continental,  Mrs.  Gascoyne?  Worthy  of  Captain 
Beverly,  himself,  is  he  not!  Good-night — good- 
night!" 

"  I  love  Judge  Casson !  "  said  Mildred.  "  I'm  a 
stranger,  and  yet  he  has  been  the  best  friend  I've 
ever  had,  in  all  my  life." 

"  He  is  a  rare  old  man,"  Harwood  agreed.  "  He 
belongs  to  the  generation  before  his  own — when 
personal  honor,  and  loyalty  to  friend,  even  to 
death,  were  the  cardinal  obligations  of  a  gentle- 
man." .... 

"  Did  you  really  want  to  dance  with  me,  Colle- 
ton  ?  "  she  asked,  when,  the  waltz  ended,  they  re- 
turned to  the  garden.  "  Because,  if  you  did,  I 
should  never  have  suspected  it.  Saint  Anthony 
himself  couldn't  have  been  more  circumspect. 
Positively,  you  kept  me  so  far  off,  I  might  quite  as 
well  have  been  alone." 

"  I  did  it  to  save  you  from  the  dowagers  and 
gossips,"  he  explained. 

"  Oh ! — well,  I'm  grateful  for  your  considera- 
tion," she  said,  naively ;  "  though  I  really  don't 
think  that  even  dowagers  or  gossips  would  have 
criticised  your  holding  me  a  trifle  closer." 

"  I'll  atone  for  it,  in  a  minute ! "  he  laughed. 

"  No,"  said  she,  "  you'll  not.  I  shall  confine  you 
to  the  same  discretion  the  rest  of  the  evening;  it 
may  improve  your  conduct  hereafter." 

Little  negro  page-boys,  in  suits  of  white  duck, 


310         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

were  flitting  through  the  garden,  summoning  every- 
one to  supper. 

"  Ought  you  not  go  back?  "  she  asked.  "  They 
will  want  to  propose  your  health.'* 

"  Just  so !  and  I  don't  intend  to  be  put  to  a 
speech.  They  will  forget  all  about  me  in  a  few 
minutes — as  soon  as  the  champagne  gets  in  its 
work.  Moreover,  we  shall  now  have  the  place  to 
ourselves,  for  a  little  while." 

He  led  her  to  the  seat  under  the  rose-tree,  in  the 
far  corner  near  the  wall,  where  he  had  met  her,  that 
first  afternoon. 

"  This  is  the  Place  of  the  Fourth  Dimension,"  he 
said ;  "  here  we  are  invisible  to  mortals.  Now,  talk 
to  me,  little  one,  while  I  look  at  you  and  delight." 

"  Then  sit  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  bench,"  she 

ordered.  "  So — and  stay  there Landor 

came  for  another  talk.  He  tried  to  drive  Mr. 
Wilberforce  away,  and  even  appealed  meaningly 
to  me  to  intervene  for  him ;  I  refused  blankly,  and, 
in  a  foolish  moment,  added  that  I  was  promised  to 
you,  until  the  breaking  of  the  Ball." 

"Bully!"  said  Harwood.  "How  did  he  take 
it?  " 

"  With  a  pleasant  smile,  and  a  nasty,  covert  in- 
sinuation about  you,  that  I  only  could  understand. 
— Don't  bother,  dear ;  it  rather  pleased  me,  indeed ; 
otherwise,  I  shouldn't  have  mentioned  it. — Should 
you  be  much  surprised,  if  I  told  you  that  he  will 
propose  to  Miss  Gordon  to-night?" 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     311 

"  What ! — marriage?  " 

"  Yes,  marriage.  The  man  is  in  desperate  need 
of  money.  His  haste  and  methods  prove  it.  I  even 
taunted  him  with  being  in  danger  of  arrest — and 
with  having  made  love  to  Miss  Gordon,  to  obtain 
cash  through  her.  And  he  didn't  deny  it." 

"But  he  can't  marry  her!"  Harwood  objected. 

"  No — but  he  can  affiance  her,  and  raise  money 
on  credit  of  her  millions,  or  persuade  her  to  give 
it  to  him.  The  latter  will  be  his  purpose." 

"  It's  monstrous !  And  the  girl  is  fascinated  by 
him.  It  is  she  who  had  him  included  in  the  party. 
Well,  I  never  meddle  in  others'  affairs,  but  now  is  the 
exception ! "  striking  the  iron  tea-table,  beside  the 
bench.  "  I  shall  warn  her,  to-morrow.  It's  a  pity 
it  isn't  the  real  Captain  Beverly  who  is  in  his  uni- 
form. He  could  take  this  scoundrel  out  into  a 
patch  of  moonlight,  behind  the  wall,  and  run  him 
through,  under  the  code." 

"  And  who  should  I  be,  dear,  if  you  were  the 
Captain?  "  she  laughed  divertingly.  She  was  in 
constant  fear  of  an  encounter  between  the  two  men. 
She  knew  that  both  were  not  slow  to  anger. 

"  Betty  Colleton ! — as  you  are  going  to  be,  some 
day  soon." 

"  And  is  that  the  Captain's  sword?  "  she  asked. — 
"  Let  me  look  at  it?  " 

He  drew  out  the  slender  blade,  watching  her  with 
smiling  eyes,  as  she  examined  the  hand-wrought 
silver  hilt  and  guard,  and  sent  the  moonlight  shim- 


312         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

mering  along  the  polished  steel — as  bright,  now,  as 
the  day  it  flashed  in  the  bride's  salute,  at  Fairlawn 
Hall  on  the  Cooper. 

"  I  love  the  men's  dress  of  Colonial  days,"  she 
said.  "  The  powdered  hair — the  ribbon  at  neck — 
the  silks,  the  satins,  the  damask — the  small  clothes 
—the  swords  !  Don't  you  wish  they  still  obtained?  " 

"  I  don't !  I've  got  trouble  enough,  as  it  is. 
What  if  I  had  to  decide,  every  night,  among  a  blue 
coat  and  a  gray  waistcoat  and  white  breeches,  or  a 
gray  coat  and  white  waistcoat  and  blue  breeches, 
or  a  red  coat  and  yellow  waistcoat  and  lavender 
breeches,  or  a  violet  coat  and — O  Lord,  think  of  it ! 
Me  for  our  one  and  always  evening  clothes.** 

"  Oh,  but  the  picturesqueness  of  the  others, 
Colleton ! " 

"  We  leave  that,  now,  to  the  women — they  have 
enough*  competition  to  keep  themselves  unhappy, 
and  totally  obliterate  the  ninth  commandment, 
without  having  the  men  mix  in." 

"  Here !  take  your  old  sword ! "  she  said ; 
"  though  you  don't  deserve  to  wear  it,  even  for  an 
evening,  much  less  to  be  Harwood  of  Fairlawn." 

"  And  still  less  to  be  the  prospective  subject  of 
the  Lady-with-Titian-Hair,"  he  smiled,  taking  the 
hilt,  and  her  hand  with  it. 

"  Don't !  "  she  said,  "  some  one  is  coming." 

"  It's  only  William." 

"  Negro  servants  have  not  learned  to  be  blind," 
she  cautioned. 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     313 

"  Mr.  Harwood,  you  are  wanted  on  the  telephone, 
at  once,  on  important  business,"  the  butler  an- 
nounced. 

"Who  is  it?" 

"  I  don't  know,  sir,  he  wouldn't  give  his  name !  " 

"  What  is  his  business  ?  " 

"  He  refused  to  say,  sir." 

"  Then  tell  him  to  go  to  the  devil,  with  my  com- 
pliments." 

"  Yes,  sir,  I'll  do  it,  sir !  "  with  a  wide  grin. 

"  Wouldn't  you  better  answer,  Colleton  ?  "  said 
Mildred.  "  Down  here,  it  isn't  the  custom  to  give 
names  to  servants — you  may  offend  some  one 
mortally  with  that  message." 

"  All  right,  sweetheart,  if  you  wish — you  will 
wait  for  me?  " 

She  nodded.  Laying  the  sword  on  the  table, 
(quite  forgetting  the  scabbard  by  his  side)  he 
sprang  away  after  William. 

He  went  up  the  stairs,  to  answer  the  telephone  in 
the  quiet  of  his  apartment.  Landor,  just  com- 
ing from  his  own  room,  the  route  planned  and 
scheduled,  drew  quickly  back,  and  waited  until 
Harwood's  door  had  shut.  Then  he  hurried  down. 
The  butler  was  in  the  hall. 

"  Do  you  know  where  Mrs.  Gascoyne  is  ? " 
Landor  asked. 

"  No,  sir !     I  haven't  seen  her  since  she  came." 

As  a  ready  liar,  William  had  all  the  facility  of 
his  race,  and  with  an  education  to  direct  it  into 


314         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

proper  and  expedient  use.  As  Mildred  had  said, 
he  was  not  blind — better,  he  was  discreet  and 
thoughtful. 

But  a  babbling  guest,  who  overheard,  put  it  all 
for  naught. 

"  I  saw  Mrs.  Gascoyne  go  into  the  garden  with 
Mr.  Harwood,  just  before  supper,"  was  the  in- 
formation. 

And  Landor,  with  a  most  gracious  smile  of 
thanks,  hurried  out.  She  was  alone ! — waiting  for 
Harwood.  Now,  was  his  opportunity. 

He  went  at  once  to  the  rear  of  the  garden;  and 
chance  led  him  straight  to  Mildred,  who,  preoccu- 
pied, eyes  half  closed,  did  not  observe  him  until  he 
was  beside  her.  She  stared  at  him  ignoringly 
a  moment,  and  turned  away.  Landor  only  smiled. 

"  I  have  come  to  give  you  a  last  chance,"  he  said, 
curtly. 

"  It  was  quite  unnecessary,"  she  shrugged. 

"  That  is  for  you  to  consider,  my  dear  wife. — 
Ah,  you  don't  fancy  the  title,  I  see;  so  you  may 
be  very  willing  to  consider,  whether  you  wish  to  be 
the  wife  of  a  convict." 

"  You  mean,  you  are  a  thief " 

"  Embezzler,  please ;  it's  more  fashionable,  and 
not  so  vulgar." 

"  And  unless  I  give  you  the  money  for  restitu- 
tion, you  will  be  arrested  and  punished,  like  any 
other  common  criminal  ?  " 

"  Just  that,  my  dear." 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     315 

"  And  Miss  Gordon,  failed  you?  " 

';  Frankly,  yes  !  " 

"  I'm  delighted !  "  said  Mildred.  "  Now,  you're 
sure  for  prison." 

"  You  mean  you  refuse?  " 

"  Undoubtedly  !  I  would  not  give  .you  so  much 
as  a  farthing  to  save  you  from  the  hangman." 

"  Doubtless  not !  "  he  sneered,  anger  showing  for 
the  first  time ;  "  it  would  open  the  way  for  Har- 
wood — if  he  wanted  you  then. — You  love  him?  " 

"  I  do." 

"  Well,  if  you  are  obdurate,  my  dear  Mildred, 
I'll  make  it  even  less  likely  that  he  will  want  the 
embezzler's  wife,  save  for  a  mistress — as  now,  is 
it?" 

She  sprang  up. — He  reached  forward,  and 
pushed  her  back  to  her  place — then  stood  directly 
in  front,  and  close. 

"  Listen ! "  he  said  sternly.  "  You  want  to 
marry  Harwood — if  you  can  make  him  want  it, 
too,  so  much  the  better  for  you.  Give  me  the 
money,  fifty  thousand  will  suffice,  and  I'll  engage 
to  aid  you  to  divorce  me.  Refuse — and  I'll  fight 
even  from  prison,  and  so  damn  you  that,  in  very 
obligation  to  his  name  and  manhood,  he  dare  not 
take  you,  however  much  he  wish.  Choose — will  you 
lose  Harwood,  for  a  little  revenge  on  me?  " 

"  Neither ! "  she  retorted.  "  Mr.  Harwood 
knows  I  am  your  wife,  and  all  the  rest  of  the 
wretched  tale ;  also,  that  prison  waits  for  you.  We 


316         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

speed  you  to  it,  as  your  proper  residence,  and  as  a 
further  ground  for  divorce.  Now,  you  have  your 
answer;  be  good  enough  to  be  gone." 

"  Damn  you ! "  he  said,  catching  her  by  her 
shoulders,  and  shaking  her  with  enraged  violence — 
his  strong  fingers  sinking  deep  into  the  soft  flesh. 
"  I've  a  mind  to " 

She  twisted  loose,  and,  springing  up,  struck  him 
in  the  face  with  all  her  strength,  the  rings  cutting 
across  the  cheek-bone,  to  the  blood. 

"  You  infernal  devil !  "  he  exclaimed,  seizing  her 
from  behind,  as  she  passed,  and  drawing  her  back 
against  him.  "  I've  a  notion  to  choke  the  life  out 
of  you." 

Shifting  his  right  hand  from  her  waist,  he 
gripped  her  by  the  throat.  She  broke  the  hold, 
but  he  wound  both  his  arms  across  her  breast, 
pinioning  hers  tight  to  her  sides. 

"  No,  I'll  not  choke  you !  "  he  muttered.  "  There 
is  a  sweeter  revenge,  and  one  that  brings  me  no 
punishment." 

He  put  his  head  close  to  the  gleaming  hair,  and 
whispered  in  her  ear. 

For  a  few  instants,  the  struggle  was  terrific — 
then,  with  a  taunting  chuckle,  he  began  to  drag 
her  slowly  toward  the  arbor.  She  had  not  called 
for  aid,  because  she  did  not  wish  to  be  found  with 
him;  now,  she  had  no  power  to  call,  the  fight  and 
the  fierce  constriction  of  his  arms,  had  left  her 
gasping.  She  felt  that  she  was  growing  helpless. 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     317 

She  ceased  to  contend — her  eyes  closed,  her  head 
sank  over,  her  body  relaxed  to  limpness. 

He  fell  into  the  trap: — she  had  fainted.  He 
loosed  his  hold,  and  caught  her  up  to  carry. 

At  once,  her  wild  cry  for  help  rang  through  the 
garden.  But  only  once — his  fingers  closed  on  her 
throat. — And,  now,  her  faint  was  not  assumed. 

No  one,  at  the  house,  heard  the  cry — all  were  in- 
doors— save  Harwood,  himself,  who,  hurrying  back, 
was  just  crossing  the  rear  piazza,.  He  recognized 
the  voice,  instantly,  and  sprang  for  the  stairs, 
tripped  on  his  scabbard,  and  plunged  to  the 
bottom. 

Fifteen  feet,  down  granite  steps  to  flag-stones,  is 
no  soft  flight  for  even  a  strong  man.  Harwood 
lay,  a  moment,  dazed  and  shaken.  Then  he  leaped 
up,  and,  staggering  uncertainly  at  first,  ran  on. 
There  had  been  no  second  cry,  and  none  met  him 
as  he  sped  the  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  gar- 
den's depth.  That  call  for  help  could  have  but  one 
meaning :  Landor — but  what !  what ! 

He  dashed  around  the  hedge  into  the  open  space 
before  the  rose-tree — and  stopped,  aghast! 

On  the  turf  near  the  iron  tea-table,  in  the  bright 
moonlight,  lay  Henry  Landor,  Beverly  Harwood's 
slender,  silver-hilted  sword  transfixing  his  throat — 
blood  on  face  and  flowing  collar.  A  few  feet  be- 
yond, pale  and  motionless,  lay  Mildred  Gascoyne. 

With  a  cry  of  bitterness,  Harwood  sprang  across 
and  gathered  her  into  his  arms.  Her  breath 


318         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

touched  his  cheek — her  heart  beat  to  his  hand. 
She  was  not  dead!  He  bore  her  to  the  bench — 
no  blood  stained  her  gown  in  front — nor  rear! — 
nor  anywhere!  nor  mark  of  injury! — nothing  save 
unconsciousness.  She  was  unharmed. 

He  went  over  to  Landor.  No  pulse — no  breath 
— no  heart-beat. — Death! 

Returning  to  Mildred,  he  brought  water  from 
the  lily-pool,  nearby,  and  bathed  her  face,  and 
wrists,  and  throat  where  Lander's  fingers  marked  it. 
He  did  not  summon  aid.  He  preferred  to  do  the 
service  himself;  and  until  she  were  conscious  and 
could  tell  the  story,  it  were  well  no  stranger  should 
intrude.  With  Landor  dead,  no  one,  now,  need  ever 
know  that  he  was  her  husband. 

In  a  little  while,  her  breathing  strengthened — her 
cheeks  came  faintly  pink — her  eyelids  fluttered — 
opened,  bewildered  and  staring — then,  with  a  soft 
sigh,  she  looked  up  at  him,  and  smiled. 

"  Colleton  !  "  she  said,  faintly—"  Thank  God !  " 

"  Yes,  sweetheart,"  he  said,  standing  so  she  could 
not  see  the  body  on  the  turf.  "  You  feel  better, 
now?  " 

"  Much  better.  It  was  very  silly  to  faint. 
Where  is  he?  " 

"  Patience,  dear,"  Harwood  smiled.  "  I'll  tell 
you  presently — when  you  can  walk  back  to  the 
house." 

She  sat  up,  suddenly,  then  clutched  him,  as  her 
head  reeled,  drawing  him  a  bit  aside. 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     319 

"  What  is  that?  "  she  exclaimed,  staring  at  the 
dead  man — "  Landor !  Landor !  My  God,  Colleton ! 
did  you  kill  him?" 

<k  No,  dear,  I  didn't  kill  him,"  he  said  soothingly, 
and  hiding  his  own  wonder.  "  He  was  dead  when 
I  came ;  you  were  lying,  yonder." 

"  There! — when  I  fainted,  I  was  in  his  arms !  " 

"  Suicide?  "  Harwood  suggested. 

"What  else  could  it  be?"  A  little  while,  she 
gazed  calmly  at  the  corpse;  then  she  looked  up  at 
Harwood.  "  Now,  the  secret  is  safe !  "  she  said. 

"  Yes — and  come  what  may,  when  the  law  takes 
hold  here,  the  secret  must  never  come  out." 

"  Your  pardon,  sir,"  came  a  strange  voice  just 
behind  them,  "  I'm  looking  for  Mr.  Harwood,  could 
you " 

"  I'm  Mr.  Harwood,"  said  Colleton. 

The  man  saluted,  and  drew  back  his  coat,  dis- 
closing an  officer's  shield. 

"  You  have  as  one  of  your  guests,  I  believe,  a 
Henry  Landor.  He  is  wanted  in  Northumberland 
for  embezzlement.  I  have  a  process  to  detain  him 
until  the  arrival  of  the  warrant,  to-morrow.  I 
don't  wish  to  disturb  your  entertainment; — that's 
why  I  came  by  the  rear — so,  if  you  can  manage 
it,  I'll  take  him  out,  quietly,  the  same  way." 

Stepping  aside,  Harwood  motioned  to  the  figure 
on  the  turf,  beyond  the  table. 

"  Henry  Landor  lies  yonder,"  he  said.  "  You 
are  a  few  minutes  too  late." 


320         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

The  officer  went  quickly  over  and  knelt  beside 
the  corpse,  but  laying  no  hand  upon  it.  Once,  he 
turned  and  looked  sharply  at  Mildred,  and  then  at 
Harwood.  When  he  arose,  his  eyes  went  straight 
to  the  empty  scabbard  by  the  latter's  side. 

"  Does  the  sword  belong  there?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes !  "  Harwood  answered — and,  for  the  first 
time,  the  accusation  of  the  situation  struck  him. 
"  My  Lord,  man,  you  don't  think  I  killed  him?  " 

"  The  affair  is  not  within  my  orders,  sir — so 
I'm  not  called  upon  to  think.  But  if  you  will  be 
advised,  by  one  who  has  had  some  experience,  you 
will  leave  everything  exactly  as  it  is,  summon  the 
police  and  coroner  at  once — and  then,  let  your 
attorney  do  the  talking.  If  you  wish,  sir,  I'll 
remain,  here,  on  guard,  until  some  one  in  authority 
arrives." 

"  Thank  you,  officer,"  said  Harwood.  "  I'll  do 
exactly  as  you  suggest.  Don't  leave  here,  however, 
until  I  see  you  again. — Can  you  walk  to  the  house, 
Mildred?" 

"  It  is  absurd  to  intimate  that  you  killed  Lan- 
dor ! "  she  exclaimed,  as  soon  as  they  were  out  of 
ear-shot.  "  No  one  would  imagine  it  for  an 
instant." 

"  Yes,  of  course,  it's  absurd,  dear,"  he  en- 
couraged. 

But,  for  himself,  he  knew  that  it  was  not  absurd 
— every  objective  circumstance  pointed  to  his  guilt ; 
every  link  was  there,  except  an  adequate  motive. 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     321 

Let  it  be  known  that  she  were  Lander's  wife,  and 
the  chain  was  complete. 

As  they  approached  the  house,  Mrs.  Leicester 
and  Fordyce  were  coming  down  the  steps.  Har- 
wood  halted  and  hailed  them. 

"  Be  guided  by  what  I  say,  dear !  "  he  cautioned, 
hastily "  Evelyn,  I  want  you  to  accom- 
pany Mrs.  Gascoyne  to  The  Oaks,  and  remain  the 
night.  There  is  serious  trouble,  here — she  will  ex- 
plain. Don't  ask  questions ;  go  immediately,  don't 
even  wait  to  change  your  costume.  Your  maid  will 
know  what  you  require,  and  I'll  despatch  her  at 
once.  Take  the  car,  it's  in  front,  and  then  send  it 
back  instantly.  I  need  Fordyce,  myself.  You 
understand? — Good-night,  dear!  "  with  a  smile,  and 
a  touch  of  hand  to  Mildred's  cheek.  "  Don't  be  per- 
turbed. We'll  have  this  straightened  out  in  a  few 
hours. — Go  by  the  basement  passage ;  it's  the  short- 
est way Fordyce,  Mr.  Landor,  one  of  the 

house-guests,  has  just  died.  Will  you  please  an- 
nounce it  to  the  company — of  course,  they  will 
understand  that  the  Ball  is  over.  Then  come  to  my 
room,  immediately — bring  Judge  Casson,  if  he  is 
still  here ;  he  said  good-night,  before  supper,  saying 
he  was  going  home  in  a  few  minutes." 

Harwood  gained  his  room  by  the  rear  stairway; 
Fordyce  joined  him,  speedily,  but  alone;  the  Judge 
had  gone. 

"  Well,  no  matter !  "  said  Colleton ;  "  you  are 
the  Harwood  counsel,  too.  As  you  have  doubtless 
21 


322         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

surmised,  there  has  been  a  tragedy.  Landor  was 
killed — by  a  sword-thrust  through  the  neck." 

"  Suicide,  accident,  or  murder?  "  said  Fordyce, 
with  the  calm  placidity  of  the  trial  lawyer. 

"  I  don't  know !  " 

He  related,  quickly,  what  he  himself  had  seen  and 
done.  In  the  midst  of  it,  Fordyce  went  over  and 
pushed  the  bell,  hard  and  repeatedly. 

"  William,  give  Doctor  Dubose  Mr.  Harwood's 
compliments,  and  ask  him  to  be  good  enough  to  step 
here  at  once,"  he  said.  "  If  he  has  gone,  send 

after  him  instantly Dubose  is  the  coroner, 

and  we  are  lucky  to  have  him  to  deal  with.  It  is  the 
one  office,  in  the  county,  which  no  one  wants, — 
there  isn't  any  money  in  it — so  it  usually  goes  to  a 
gentleman.  I'm  sorry  I  can't  say  the  same  for 
Schwartz,  the  District  Attorney. — Ah,  Coroner, 
there  is  work  for  you.  Mr.  Lander's  death 
was  due  to  violence;  his  own  or  another's.  The 
body  lies  at  the  foot  of  the  garden,  just  as  when 
Mr.  Harwood  found  it.  I  suggest  you  empanel  a 
jury  from  those  still  here,  and  view  it,  immediately, 
so  it  can  be  removed  to  the  house. — And,  Dick,  be 
careful  to  select  those  who  won't  be  influenced  by 
Schwartz.  This  may  be  a  rather  serious  case. 
When  you're  ready,  let  us  know.  Meanwhile,  I'll 
telephone  the  District  Attorney,  and  Harwood  will 
send  the  car  for  him.  And,  also,  old  man,  don't 
take  any  testimony  to-night — adjourn  the  inquest 
until  to-morrow  afternoon. — Will  you  do  it?  " 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     323 

"  I  most  assuredly  will ! — or  anything  else  you 
ask,  in  half  reason,"  said  Dubose.  "  And  rest  easy 
as  to  the  jury." 

When  he  had  gone,  Fordyce  got  the  District 
Attorney,  at  his  residence,  and  told  him  briefly  the 
situation.  Then  he  turned  briskly  to  his  host. 

"  Mr.  Harwood,"  he  said,  "  the  first  duty  of  a 
client  is  to  be  absolutely  frank  with  his  lawyer. 
You  have  not  told  me  all  you  know.  I  say  can- 
didly that  the  facts,  down  in  the  garden,  point 
straight  at  you,  and  your  story  only  strengthens 
them.  Unfortunately  for  us,  Schwartz  is  a  low- 
born, blatant  demagogue,  vindictive  and  unprin- 
cipled, who  violently  hates  our  class,  and  had  a 
personal  grudge  against  your  cousin  and  prede- 
cessor, for  some  real  or  fancied  wrong;  but  mainly, 
I  think,  because  he  never  was  received  here.  I 
know  he  has  announced  that  he  would  '  get  even 
with  that  damn  Harwood  bunch.'  Here,  now,  is 
his  opportunity — to  order  your  arrest  for  killing 
Henry  Landor.  Don't  imagine  I  suspect  you;  but 
if  you  want  me  to  fight  back  at  him,  with  any 
immediate  effect,  you  mustn't  play  into  his  hands 
by  obliging  me  to  work  in  the  dark.  Will  you 
answer  a  few  questions  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Harwood,  after  a  moment's  reflec- 
tion. 

"  Does  Mrs.  Gascoyne  know  who  killed  Landor?  " 

"  No." 

"Why  did  she  faint?" 


324         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

"  From  terror. — Landor  came  upon  her,  alone, 
and  attacked  her ' 

"  You  mean " 

"  Yes.  She  cried  for  help,  and  remembers  noth- 
ing more.  As  I  heard  the  cry,  the  killing  must 
have  occurred  in  the  short  interval  it  took  me  to 
get  there  from  the  house.  The  fall  down  the 
piazza  steps  didn't  delay  me  over  two  minutes." 

"  Then  it  all  happened  within  three  minutes,  cer- 
tainly five,  at  the  most,"  said  Fordyce,  with  an 
uneasy  shake  of  the  head.  "  The  inferences  are 
unfortunate.  I  wish  to  Heaven  you  hadn't  heard 
the  cry, — or  that  you  had  put  the  infernal  sword 
back  in  its  scabbard  instead  of  on  the  table.  The 
only  point  in  your  favor  is  an  absence  of  motive — 
why  should  you  kill  one  of  your  own  house-party  ?  " 
He  looked  steadily  at  Harwood,  but  the  latter  made 
no  comment.  Then  the  summons  came  from  Dr. 
Dubose. 

Weird  almost  to  the  grotesque  was  the  fulfilment 
of  this  ancient  formality  of  the  Law.  Midnight ! — 
On  the  turf,  under  the  bright  moonlight,  the  stark 
figure  in  doublet  and  hose  of  black,  blood  on  face 
and  breast,  a  sword  blade  through  the  throat. 
Close  around,  a  Prince  of  the  Church  in  robes  of 
scarlet,  a  gay  courtier  of  the  Grand  Monarch,  a 
priest  in  sable  cassock,  a  dandy  of  Brummel's  day, 
a  pirate  in  red  and  black,  two  gentlemen  in  perukes 
and  small  clothes.  A  little  to  the  side,  a  cluster  of 
others  in  costume — the  men  of  the  house-party. 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     325 

The  Cardinal  knelt  beside  the  body,  and  exam- 
ined the  wound,  carefully. 

"  It  is  directly  through  the  carotid  artery,"  he 
said.  "  Death  must  have  been  practically  in- 
stantaneous." 

"Might  it  have  been  self-inflicted?"  Fordyce 
asked. 

"  Yes — but  not  likely ;  it  would  have  been  very 
difficult  for  him  to  plunge  the  sword  hard  enough 
with  his  hands,  to  drive  it  so  deep — the  hilt  is  too 
far  away.  With  a  knife,  it  would  be  easier.  Yet 
he  could  have  held  the  point  against  his  neck,  and 
have  fallen  on  it." 

"  With  relation  to  the  position  and  character  of 
the  actual  wound,  however,"  Fordyce  persisted,  "  is 
there  anything  to  indicate  that  it  was  not  self 
inflicted?  " 

"  Absolutely  nothing." 

The  motor  called  from  the  avenue;  immediately 
William  appeared  escorting  the  District  Attorney. 

Schwartz  was  big,  pompous,  low-waisted,  thin- 
lipped,  shifty-eyed,  exuding  self-importance,  nar- 
row-mindedness and  malice.  He  came,  now,  with 
the  air  of  being  preceded  by  a  band  and  an  escort 
of  honor.  He  nodded  carelessly  to  Fordyce,  stared 
insolently  at  Harwood,  and  frowned  around  on  the 
others.  Then  he  surveyed  the  corpse. 

"  What  is  this — murder?  "  he  demanded. 

No  one  answered. 

"  You  did  well,  indeed,  not  to  disturb  anything 


326         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

until  I  arrived.  Is  there  a  doctor,  here? — Ah, 
Dubose,  I  didn't  recognize  you  in  that  get-up. 
You're  the  very  one.  Make  a  thorough  examina- 
tion of  the  body,  then  let  it  be  removed  to  the 
house.  I'll  arrange  for  a  jury  to  meet  to-morrow 
and  investigate." 

"  I  have  made  the  examination,"  said  Dubose ; 
"  and  the  jury  is  in  session,  now," — indicating 
them.  "  We  were  just  about  to  adjourn,  until  two 
o'clock  to-morrow,  to  hear  testimony  and  determine 
on  a  verdict." 

Schwartz  straightened  up,  threw  out  his  chest, 
and  glared. 

"  Indeed,  Mr.  Coroner !  and  where,  may  I  ask, 
does  the  District  Attorney  come  in  ?  " 

"  Wherever  he  cares  to  come  in ! "  retorted  Du- 
bose. "  We  shall  reassemble  in  some  convenient 
room  in  the  court-house  at  two  o'clock."  He 
stooped,  gently  drew  out  the  sword,  and  handed  it 
to  the  District  Attorney.  "  Now,  gentlemen,  will 
you  help  to  bear  Mr.  Landor  within." 

"  Just  a  moment !  "  said  Schwartz.  "  I  should 
like  to  ask  a  few  questions.  Who  wore  this  sword — 
the  deceased  ?  " 

"  It  belongs  to  Mr.  Harwood,"  responded  For- 
dyce — "  he  wore  it  to-night,  as  part  of  his 
costume." 

"O-h!  Then,  doubtless,  he  can  inform  us  just 
how  it  got  from  the  scabbard  into  the  dead  man's 
throat." 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     327 

"  Do  you  mean  to  insinuate  that  Mr.  Harwood 
killed  his  guest?  " 

"  My  dear  sir,  the  facts  themselves  make  the  in- 
sinuation. It  is  up  to  him  to  explain." 

"  All  Mr.  Harwood  knows,"  said  Fordyce, 
calmly,  "  is  that  he  left  the  sword  lying  on  this 
table,  when  suddenly  called  to  the  house — a  short 
time  thereafter,  when  he  returned  for  it,  he  found 
it  as  you  saw." 

"  Did  he  leave  Mr.  Landor  here,  when  he  went 
to  the  house?  " 

"  He  did  not." 

"  Of  course  not !  "  Schwartz  sneered.  "  And  you 
would  have  me  believe  that  Landor  happened  along, 
and,  seeing  a  sword  so  convenient,  was  moved  to 
stick  a  foot  of  it  through  his  throat !  " 

"  I  would  have  the  Commonwealth's  Attorney  act 
judicially,  as  becomes  his  office." 

"  Which  he  is  doing,  and  shall  do,  sir — without 
fear  or  favor.  A  Harwood  deserves  and  receives 
no  more  indulgence  at  my  hands,  than  the  humblest 
citizen  of  our  county.  It  is  my  proud  boast,  sir — 
I  would  have  you,  and  all  these  friends  of  yours, 
understand — that  I " 

"  Mr.  Coroner,"  broke  in  Fordyce,  "  I  suggest 
the  propriety  of  immediately  removing  the  body. 
We  are  in  for  a  stump  speech,  which,  the  learned 
gentleman  does  not  seem  to  appreciate,  is  scarcely 
befitting  the  presence  of  death." 

Schwartz  had  been  left  suspended  in  the  middle 


of  his  most  impressive  gesture.  His  arm  dropped 
slowly,  and  his  tongue  went  still — for  once  in  his 
life,  he  was  abashed.  In  silence,  he  watched  them 
lay  Landor  on  a  cloak,  and  bear  him  away  toward 
the  house. 

"  I  have  remained,  sir,"  said  Fordyce,  "  to  inform 
you  that  had  you  handled  this  matter  as  an  honest 
official,  you  would  have  found  Mr.  Harwood  ready 
and  anxious  to  assist  you.  Instead,  however,  you 
intend  to  use  it  as  a  means  to  vent  a  petty  spite. 
Consequently,  you  may  expect  no  aid  from  us ;  and 
Mr.  Harwood  will  speak  only  through  me."  He 
raised  his  hand  to  the  Northumberland  detective, 
who,  when  relieved  of  his  guard  by  the  arrival  of 
the  Coroner,  had  drawn  back  in  the  shadow. 
"  Come  with  us,  sir !  "  he  called. 

"  Who  are  you?  "  Schwartz  demanded.  "  You 
don't  belong  in  Egerton. — What  do  you  know  con- 
cerning this  murder?  " 

But  the  stranger  simply  smiled,  and  passed  on. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  Mr.  Fordyce,"  he  said, 
"  but  might  I  be  permitted  to  ask  a  question  ? — 
Why  did  you  make  the  District  Attorney  mad,  when 
he  was  already  hard  enough  against  Mr.  Harwood? 
You  had  a  reason,  for  you  did  it  on  purpose,  but 
it's  a  new  play  to  me." 

"  You  are  rather  observing,"  Fordyce  com- 
mented. "  I  did  it  for  this  reason.  It  was  per- 
fectly evident,  to  one  who  knows  Schwartz,  that  he 
had  picked  on  Mr.  Harwood  as  the  criminal;  so  I 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  BALL     329 

wanted  to  anger  him  into  having  the  arrest  made 
at  once — early  in  the  morning,  I  trust.  Then  I 
can  immediately  apply  to  the  Court  for  release  on 
bail,  and  catch  the  District  Attorney,  with  only  the 
flimsiest  sort  of  evidence.  About  all  he  has  now, 
is  the  sword — he  doesn't  know  even  what  you  do. 
If  I  gave  him  another  day,  he  would  patch  up 
something  stronger;  for,  even  if  he  knew  that  Mr. 
Harwood  were  not  implicated,  nevertheless,  actu- 
ated by  a  personal  grudge,  he  would  endeavor  to 
humiliate  him  by  imprisonment,  pending  trial. — I 
don't  know  why  I  should  tell  you  this,  save  that 
from  your  manner  when  you  came  upon  Mr.  Har- 
wood, we  both  feel  that  you  believe  him  innocent." 

"  I  sure  do — if  he  acted  like  a  man  who  has  just 
killed  another,  then  my  twenty  years  on  the  force 
are  no  good." 

"  We  may  need  your  testimony,  if  the  case  ever 
come  to  trial,1"  said  Fordyce. 

"  You  will  have  it  mighty  ready,  sir.  I'll  be  glad 
to  help  you  upset  that  barker  you've  got  for  Dis- 
trict Attorney !  " 

And  so,  Fordyce  made  sure  of  the  only  witness 
who  had  seen  Mrs.  Gascoyne  and  Harwood  together 
beside  the  corpse,  and  who,  if  ill-disposed,  could — 
by  his  manner  or  intonation  in  telling  even  the 
actual  facts — be  most  damaging  to  the  defendant. 


XIX 

AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST 

FORDYCE  had  measured  Schwartz  perfectly.  Be- 
fore ten  o'clock,  Egerton  was  in  the  throes  of  a 
sensation  such  as  it  had  never  experienced,  save 
only  in  the  battle-days. 

There  had  been  murder  at  Fairlawn  Hall !  Its 
Master  stood  charged  with  the  crime !  The  prose- 
cution had  been  directed  by  the  District  Attorney, 
himself,  and  the  county  detective  was,  even  then, 
gone  to  serve  the  warrant ! 

Already,  all  the  loafers  in  town  had  congregated 
on  the  street  before  Justice  Zell's  office,  awaiting 
the  coming  of  the  defendant.  The  sentiment  was 
unanimous  that  the  killing  had  occurred  in  a  fight 
over  one  of  the  women,  and  about  equally  divided 
as  to  its  justification.  Suddenly,  around  the 
corner,  shot  the  big,  red  Mercedes,  they  all  knew; 
Harwood  and  Fordyce  alighted,  and  disappeared 
into  the  magistrate's  office. 

The  District  Attorney  was  with  Zell,  in  the  inner 
room.  Fordyce  walked  straight  in. 

"  I  understand,  Squire,  you  have  issued  a  war- 
rant for  Mr.  Harwood,"  he  said,  pleasantly. 

"  He  has,"  Schwartz  responded.  "  I  deemed  it 
my  solemn  duty,  sir,  to " 

"  Oh,  you  and  your  duty  be  damned ! "  Fordyce 
330 


AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST  331 

exclaimed.  "  I  was  addressing  the  Justice. — Mr. 
Harwood  is  here,  voluntarily,  Squire,  to  meet  the 
warrant,  and  to  ask  that  the  hearing,  instead  of 
being  held  immediately,  be  postponed  a  week.  We 
are  not  ready." 

Schwartz  walked  into  the  trap. 

"  It  can't  be  done ! "  he  announced,  grandilo- 
quently. "  The  Commonwealth,  so  long  as  I  have 
the  honor  to  represent  it,  proposes  to  show  no 
favors  even  to  a  Harwood.  The  hearing  is  fixed 
for  now,  and,  if  it  please  the  Justice,  I  insist  that  it 
proceed  forthwith.  The  case  is  so  plain  that  one 
witness  would  be  quite  sufficient,  but  I'll  call  two. 
I'll  have  them  here,  in  a  moment." 

It  pleased  the  Squire,  as  Fordyce  knew  it  would, 
to  do  whatever  the  District  Attorney  wished.  Zell 
was  a  dispenser  of  justice  according  to  cash  in  it 
for  him,  and  Schwartz  gave  him  all  the  criminal 
business,  possible.  Fordyce  fought  a  bit  longer, 
for  effect,  then  subsided  with  a  sarcastic  protest. 

The  testimony  was  purely  perfunctory.  Schwartz 
put  two  of  the  Coroner's  jury  on  the  stand,  and 
proved  by  them  the  death  of  Landor,  the  sword 
in  his  neck,  the  admission  of  the  defendant,  that  the 
weapon  was  a  portion  of  his  own  costume  that 
evening,  that  he  had  left  it  on  the  table  at  the  scene 
of  the  crime,  and  then  had  been  the  first,  a  few 
minutes  later,  to  discover  the  body. 

Whereupon,  Zell — against  Fordyce's  vigorous 
objection  that  the  testimony  was  absurdly  insuffi- 


332         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

cient  to  hold  anyone  for  murder — promptly  com- 
mitted the  defendant  to  jail,  to  await  the  action  of 
the  Court ;  at  the  same  time  expressing  his  regret 
that,  under  the  law,  he  had  "  no  power  to  admit  him 
to  bail." 

Then  he  made  out  the  formal  instrument,  con- 
signing the  body  of  one  Colleton  Harwood  to  the 
care  and  custody  of  the  High  Sheriff  of  the  County, 
and  gave  it  to  the  waiting  Constable.  Meanwhile, 
Fordyce  had  gone  to  the  door,  beckoned  to  a  rather 
handsome  young  man,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
street,  who  came  quickly  across. 

"  Your  services  won't  be  required,  Mr.  Consta- 
ble," said  Fordyce.  "  Out  of  consideration  for  Mr. 
Harwood,  and  to  save  him  from  the  humiliation  of 
jail,  and  further  indignity  at  the  hands  of  the  very 
honorable  District  Attorney  and  the  equally  hon- 
orable Justice  Zell,  Sheriff  Marix  has  come  here  to 
receive  him." 

"  There's  your  receipt,  Schneider,"  said  the 
Sheriff,  tossing  it,  already  prepared,  on  the  table. — 
"  How  are  you,  Mr.  Harwood !  This  is  an  out- 
rage, sir,  and  I'm  happy  to  do  you  any  service  I 
can.  I'm  only  sorry,  it's  not  that  pair,  yonder, 
I'm  getting  instead  of  you — though  they'll  be 
along  some  day. — What  next,  Mr.  Fordyce; 
straight  to  court  ?  " 

It  was  not  until  then,  that  Schwartz  had  a 
suspicion  of  the  snare  into  which  he  had  been  led. 
He  turned  upon  Fordyce,  angrily. 


AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST  333 

"  Ah !  you're  growing  wise,  are  you !  "  the  latter 
laughed.  "  Did  you  imagine  that  I  would  suffer 
you  to  put  Mr.  Harwood  in  jail,  even  for  an  hour! 
Here,"  drawing  a  blue-backed  legal  paper  from  his 
pocket,  "  is  the  notice  of  our  intention  to  apply, 
forthwith,  for  release  on  bail. — Now,  Mr.  Sheriff, 
if  you  are  ready,  we  will  proceed." 

Marix  shook  his  head.  "  You  two  go  on ;  I'll 
walk ;  nobody  need  know  Mr.  Harwood  is  under 
arrest;  see?  " 

Colleton  put  out  his  hand.  "  You  are  mighty 
kind,"  he  said ;  "  but  I  don't  mind  in  the  least. 
Come  along  with  us." 

But  Marix  refused,  and  stood  in  the  doorway 
until  they  had  entered  the  car;  then  he  sauntered 
slowly  to  the  court-house;  where,  at  the  stair-way 
in  the  rear  hall,  Fordyce  and  Harwood  awaited  him. 

They  entered  the  court-room  through  the  door 
beside  the  Bench,  leading  immediately  into  the  Bar. 
The  buzz,  which  went  up  from  the  spectators,  was 
so  sudden  and  so  loud  that  the  President  Judge — 
lean-faced,  sandy-haired,  cold  blue-eyed — rapped 
his  desk  sharply  for  silence,  and  glanced  around 
for  the  cause.  When  he  saw  Harwood,  he  under- 
stood. He  gave  him  a  faint  smile  and  nod  of 
recognition,  and  went  on  with  the  matter  in 
hand. 

Colleton  had  met  Judge  Charlesworth  at  the 
Casson  dinner,  and  at  the  Ball,  the  previous  even- 
ing, but  the  two  other  men  on  the  Bench  he  had 


334         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

never  seen.  Charlesworth  looked  like  a  judge ;  they 
did  not,  and  he  remarked  as  much  to  Fordyce. 

"  You're  very  right ! "  returned  the  latter. 
"  They  are  ordinary  laymen,  and  pretty  ordinary, 
at  that.  They  know  no  more  law  than  a  cobble- 
stone, and  are  as  useless  as  an  eighty-seventh  wheel 
to  a  wagon.  The  Constitution  of  this  State  in- 
flicts them  upon  some  few  counties." 

"  I'm  quite  content  to  rest  my  case  with  Judge 
Charlesworth,"  said  Harwood,  "  but  I  distrust  the 
laymen ;  they  may  overrule  him." 

"  No  danger,  old  man.  A  pair  of  them,  in  an- 
other county,  tried  that  some  years  ago,  and  the 
Supreme  Court  promptly  labeled  them,  '  the  one 
associate  and  his  fellow  ass.'  Charlesworth  will 
decide  your  case,  and  I  don't  know  a  better 
lawyer." 

The  argument  that  had  been  in  process  was  con- 
cluded; the  Court  gave  his  ruling  instantly  and 
straight  to  the  point. 

"  Is  there  any  further  business,  gentlemen  ?  "  he 
asked.  Then  his  eyes  turned,  inquiringly,  to 
Fordyce. 

The  latter  arose,  and  went  to  the  counsel-table. 

"  May  it  please  Your  Honor !  "  he  said.  "  You 
were  at  Fairlawn  Hall,  last  night,  and  are  aware  of 
the  distressing  incident  which  terminated  the  Ball — 
the  death,  apparently  by  violence,  of  one  of  the 
house-guests,  Mr.  Henry  Landor;  whose  body  was 
found  at  the  foot  of  the  great  garden,  with  a 


AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST          335 

sword-thrust  through  the  throat.  This  morning, 
by  express  order  of  the  learned  District  Attorney, 
an  information  was  laid  before  Justice  Zell  charging 
Mr.  Harwood  with  the  murder.  Being  apprised  of 
the  astonishing  action,  he  did  not  wait  for  the  war- 
rant to  be  served,  but,  with  his  counsel,  immediately 
hastened  before  the  magistrate,  and  surrendered. 
I  moved  a  postponement  of  the  hearing,  for  a  few 
days — which,  I  submit,  was  only  reasonable,  in  view 
of  the  sudden  and  unexpected  arrest ;  and,  further, 
because  my  partner,  Judge  Casson  (who  has  always 
been  the  personal  counsel  of  the  Harwood  family) 
is  temporarily  incapacitated  for  court  work 

"  You  never  mentioned  Judge  Casson!"  Schwartz 
broke  in. 

"  Counsel  will  not  interrupt ! "  the  Court  ad- 
monished, curtly. 

"  It  is  not  material,  of  course,  Your  Honor," 
Fordyce  went  on,  "  but  I  may  be  indulged  to  an- 
swer, simply  for  information,  that  the  learned 
gentleman  gave  me  no  chance  to  mention  it.  He 
interrupted  me  (just,  as  now)  saying  that  there 
could  not  be  a  postponement;  and,  as  everyone  is 
well  aware,  whatever  the  learned  District  Attorney 
says,  is  a  Holy  Writ  to  Justice  Zell — as  well  to  do, 
as  not  to  do.  My  motion  was  forthwith  denied, 
and  the  hearing  had.  The  evidence  was  so  piti- 
fully insufficient,  that  I  thought  even  the  subsidized 
Mr.  Zell  would  hesitate  to  follow  orders,  but  I  did 
him  too  much  credit.  He  committed  Mr.  Harwood 


336         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

to  jail,  as  nonchalantly  as  one  lights  a  cigar.  Hav- 
ing anticipated  just  such  arbitrary  and  unjudicial 
conduct,  on  the  part  of  the  two  public  officials  in 
question,  I  had  already  prepared  an  application  for 
bail,  which  I  served  on  the  learned  District  Attor- 
ney, with  notice  that  it  would  be  presented  forth- 
with. The  Sheriff,  at  my  request,  has  the  defendant 
here  in  Court.  I  see  also  the  learned  District 
Attorney  is  present.  As  he  has  a  copy  of  the  peti- 
tion, I  shall  not,  unless  Your  Honor  so  wish,  con- 
sume time  in  reading  it." — He  handed  it  to  the 
clerk,  and  sat  down. 

The  remarks  had  caused  a  positive  sensation. 
Among  the  Bar,  because  of  the  blunt  statement  of 
facts  as  to  Schwartz  and  Zell — which  all  the  lawyers 
knew,  but  had  never  cared  to  voice  in  open  court; 
among  the  general  public,  because  of  the  allegations 
themselves,  which  practically  none  of  them  had 
suspected,  and  the  conclusive  presumption  of  truth 
when  made  by  one  of  Fordyce's  position  and 
popularity. 

Judge  Charlesworth  had  listened,  with  impassive 
countenance,  and  the  Bar  knew,  when  he  did  not 
interrupt  instantly  at  the  first  irrelevancy,  that  it 
was  because  he  considered  the  strictures  well  justi- 
fied. At  the  end,  he  turned  toward  Schwartz,  and 
nodded. 

"  Now,  we  will  hear  you,  sir !  "  he  said. 

Schwartz  arose,  ran  his  fingers  through  his  hair, 
threw  out  his  chest,  and  prepared  to  go  into  action. 


AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST          337 

All  that  was  required,  to  complete  the  illusion  of  a 
professional  agitator  preparing  to  erupt,  was  for 
him  to  remove  his  coat,  take  off  a  pair  of  dirty 
cuffs,  and  roll  up  his  shirt  sleeves. 

"  May  it  please  Your  Honors !  "  he  boomed.  "  I 
have  heard,  with  grieved  surprise,  the  extraordinary 
remarks  of  my  brother  Fordyce.  Of  his  unwar- 
ranted aspersions,  touching  myself  and  Justice  Zell, 
I  make  no  account.  I  shall  treat  them  with  the 
contemptuous  silence  they  deserve.  Justice  Zell  re- 
quires no  defence  at  my  hands.  As  for  myself,  I 
scorn  his  words  and  the  insinuations  therein  con- 
tained. I  try  to  do  my  duty,  as,  in  my  human 
finiteness,  I  judge  it  to  be.  Never,  heretofore,  have 
the  honesty  and  purity  of  my  motives  been  im- 
peached, within  the  sacred  precincts  of  this  temple 
of  Justice — nor  elsewhere.  I  am  sworn  to  show 
no  favor  in  the  execution  of  the  heavy  responsibili- 
ties of  my  office,  as  the  Constitutional  representative 
of  our  great  and  glorious  Commonwealth  for  the 
preservation  of  its  peace  and  dignity.  It  is  my 
high  purpose  to  administer  the  said  office  without 
regard  to  occupation,  wealth,  or  social  position — if 
there  be  such  a  thing  as  social  position  in  the  '  land 
of  the  free  and  home  of  the  brave.'  And,  with  the 
help  of  God,  and  a  clean  conscience,  I  shall 

Judge  Charlesworth  had  been  glancing  through 
the  petition,  now  he  suddenly  laid  it  aside. 

"  Mr.  Schwartz,"  he  said,  coldly,  "  how  often 
must  I  admonish  you,  that  stump  speeches  and 
22 


338         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

academic  orations  are  not  argument?  Come  to  the 
matter  at  issue.  What  answer  have  you  to  this 
motion — do  you  resist  the  release  of  Mr.  Harwood 
on  bail?" 

"  I  most  assuredly  and  emphatically  do." 

"Why?" 

"  Because,  Your  Honor,  the  Commonwealth  is 
not  prepared.  It  asks " 

"  You  were  prepared  for  the  hearing  at  the  com- 
mitting magistrate's,  less  than  an  hour  ago,"  the 
Judge  interrupted.  "  Why  shouldn't  you  be  pre- 
pared, now?  " 

"  Because,  may  it  please  the  Court,  I  offered, 
there,  only  sufficient  evidence  to  make  out  a  prima 
facie  case.  If  we  are  to  go  into  the  question  of 
bail,  I  must  have  time  to  prepare,  more  carefully, 
the " 

"  The  defendant  specifically  alleges,  that  you 
did  not  make  out  a  prima  facie  case.  If  this  be 
true,  he  is  illegally  detained,  and  must  be  discharged 
from  custody — or  if  your  case,  though  sufficient 
in  presumption,  be  very  weak,  it  is  proper  to  admit 
him  to  bail.  To  administer  your  office,  '  without 
regard  to  occupation,  wealth  or  social  position,'  is 
your  duty,  under  the  guidance  of  sound  judgment ; 
but  it  does  not  contemplate  intolerance,  nor  arbi- 
trariness, nor  disregard  of  personal  rights.  The 
admitted  facts  of  this  case,  considering  the  position 
of  the  defendant  in  this  community,  show  such  an 
immediate,  well-nigh  indecent  haste  in  prosecution, 


AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST          339 

as  to  appeal  to  the  prompt  investigation  by  this 
Court.  The  motion  is  granted;  and,  all  parties 
being  present,  the  hearing  will  proceed  forthwith. 
I  will,  however,  allow  the  Commonwealth  fifteen 
minutes,  in  which  to  procure  the  attendance  of  its 
witnesses." 

With  an  air  of  protesting  resignation,  Schwartz 
sauntered  over  to  the  counsel-table,  wrote  several 
names  on  a  slip  of  paper,  motioned  to  the  messen- 
ger, and  gave  it  to  him,  with  instructions  to  notify 
the  gentlemen  that  the  Court  wanted  them  imme- 
diately. 

"  I  am  summoning  such  witnesses  as  should  be 
within  call,"  he  said,  addressing  the  Bench ;  "  but 
I  cannot  be  assured  that  any  of  them  will  be  here,  in 
the  time  allotted." 

"  That  is  the  Commonwealth's  affair,  sir,"  the 
Judge  replied.  "  You  should  have  brought  them 
with  you  from  the  magistrate's.  You  were  aware  of 
the  nature  of  the  petition."- —Then  he  swung  toward 
Fordyce,  who  had  returned  to  Harwood.  "  Mr. 
Fordyce,  you  spoke  of  Judge  Casson  as  being  tem- 
porarily incapacitated  for  court  work ;  we  trust  it 
is  nothing  more  than  a  slight  indisposition ;  nothing 
to  occasion  any  concern." 

"  Your  Honor  is  very  kind,"  said  Fordyce,  "  and 
Judge  Casson  will  deeply  appreciate  your  consider- 
ation. We  do  not  anticipate  anything  of  a  perma- 
nently serious  nature.  During  the  hunt,  yester- 
day, while  among  the  pines  of  Buzzard  Hill,  he  was 


340         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

struck  on  the  head,  near  the  temple,  by  a  heavy 
limb.  It  dazed  him,  and  he  seemed  to  suffer  from  it 
at  intervals  the  rest  of  the  day.  He  left  the  Ball, 
rather  early,  last  night,  telling  Mr.  Harwood  that 
his  head  was  bothering  him  considerably.  When 
I  got  to  town,  several  hours  later,  it  happened  that 
I  went  to  our  offices,  instead  of  direct  home.  There 
I  found  him,  dazed  and  queer.  Doctor  Dubose,  who 
was  with  me,  saw  at'  once,  that  it  was  due  to  a 
slight  concussion  of  the  brain,  just  sufficient  to  pro- 
duce an  automatic  reflex — a  condition  of  sub- 
consciousness  where  the  brain  does  not  functionate, 
and  its  action  is  entirely  mechanical.  There  is  a 
lapse  of  memory,  of  course;  and  all  action  is  in- 
voluntary, and  strictly  along  the  line  of  constant 
habit.  The  injury  seemed  very  slight,  however; 
it  should  not  continue  more  than  a  few  days,  at 
most ;  and  it  is  liable  to  pass  off  any  moment.  In- 
deed, he  appeared  to  be  a  shade  more  rational,  this 
morning — and  no  effort  was  made  to  restrain  him. 
He  was  in  the  office  when ' 

Judge  Charlesworth  raised  his  hand,  warningly. 

"  He  is  coming  up  the  main  aisle,  now ! "  he  said. 

Just  inside  the  Bar,  the  old  man  halted  and 
bowed  respectfully  to  the  Bench,  as  was  the  custom 
in  the  old  days,  and  which  he  clung  to,  still.  The 
Court  acknowledged  it  with  a  formal  inclination  of 
the  head.  Fordyce  had  moved  slowly  across — it 
had  not  occurred  to  him  that  habit  might  lead  his 
uncle  here. 


AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST          841 

"  Hello, sir!  "  he  remarked, casually.  "  I  thought 
you  were  busy  in  the  office.  I've  disposed  of  all 
our  matters.  I  was  just  going  back  to  take  up 
the  McDougall  case  with  you." 

Judge  Casson  laughed,  silently. 

"  I'm  all  right,  again,  my  boy !  "  he  said ;  "  I 
came-to,  suddenly,  a  short  time  ago.  But  now, 
what  is  this  I  hear !  Colleton  Harwood  arrested 
for  murder,  and  actually  committed !  " 

"  Yes,"  Fordyce  answered.  "  Yes  !  the  doings  of 
that  vindictive  bounder  Schwartz.  I've  got  him 
on  the  run,  however;  Charlesworth  is  going  to 
grant  bail,  perhaps  discharge  absolutely." 

The  old  Judge  went  quickly  to  Harwood. 

"  My  dear  Colleton !  I'm  horribly  distressed 
over  this  miserable  mistake !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  I'm  not  in  the  least  disturbed,"  said  Harwood. 
"  I've  rather  enj  oyed  seeing  the  Court  and  Fordyce 
tramping  around  on  the  District  Attorney.  Some- 
how, I  have  taken  a  dislike  to  him.  And  I  assure 
you,  no  one,  not  even  you,  Judge,  could  have 
handled  the  case  better  than  Fordyce.  Of  course, 
I  didn't  kill  Landor,  so  I'm  perfectly  easy,  however 
this  matter  of  bail  come  out.  It's  no  shame,  to  an 
innocent  man,  to  be  obliged  to  remain  a  few  weeks 
in  jail, — though  rather  tiresome  and  inconvenient." 

"  I  like  your  nerve,  boy,  I  like  your  nerve !  "  with 
a  clap  on  the  arm.  "  Now,  Charles,  what  is  the 
exact  situation  here?  " 

Fordyce  explained  in  a  few  sentences.     With  a 


342         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

nod,  Judge  Casson  turned  away,  and  walked  before 
the  Bench. 

"  We  are  glad,  indeed,  to  see  you,  sir,"  said 
Judge  Charlesworth. 

Judge  Casson  bowed*  his  thanks.  "  With  per- 
mission of  the  Court,"  he  said,  "  I  desire  to  make 
a  statement  touching  the  matter  now  before  it. 
Had  I  not  been  suddenly  disabled  the  case  would 
never  have  been  instituted.  Though,  even  as  it  is, 
I  cannot  imagine  what  possible  justification  exists 
for  it.  Colleton  Harwood  is  no  more  implicated  in 
this  homicide  than  is  Your  Honor.  It  was  /,  who 
killed  Henry  Landor." 

Judge  Casson's  voice  was  ever  calm,  and  soft,  and 
beautifully  modulated,  and  never  more  so  than  in 
these  few  sentences,  which  in  the  intense  silence, 
carried  to  the  farthest  corner  of  the  room.  Even 
Charlesworth,  imperturbable  and  steady-nerved, 
was  speechless  with  amazement.  After  a  moment's 
pause,  the  Judge  went  on. 

"  It  happened  thus.  The  guests  were  in  the  Hall 
at  supper.  I  had  made  my  adieu  to  my  host,  a 
little  while  before,  and,  now,  I  went  into  the  garden 
—Your  Honor  knows  its  extent — intending  to  slip 
out  by  the  postern,  unobserved.  I  chose  a  side 
path,  though  the  place  seemed  quite  deserted.  As 
I  neared  the  gate,  I  saw,  in  the  bright  moon- 
light nearby,  Henry  Landor  struggling  with  a 
woman.  The  next  instant,  he  swung  her  up  and 
bore  her  off. — She  gave  one  cry  for  help.  Lander's 


AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST  343 

fingers  closed  on  her  throat.  I  was  already  almost 
upon  them.  He  heard  me;  tossing  her  aside, 
he  turned  with  a  curse  and  sprang  at  me.  I  caught 
up  a  sword,  that  lay  on  the  table  beside  the  bench, 
and  shot  it  forward.  He  struck  it  up  with  his  left 
arm,  but  not  far  enough.  I  saw  the  slender  blade 
pass  into  his  neck  and  out  behind.  His  very  weight 
and  impetus  carried  him  upon  me,  and  I  went  down 
under  him,  striking  my  head, — just  where  a  tree 
hit  me  during  the  hunt,  that  morning — violently 
on  the  ground.  I  remember,  dimly,  scrambling  to 
my  feet,  but,  from  that  instant  until  a  few  minutes 
ago,  my  mind  was  entirely  blank  of  the  past.  What 
I  did — when  I  left  the  garden — how  I  got  home — 
I  have  not  the  faintest  idea.  When  I  suddenly 
recovered,  my  first  thought  was  of  Landor.  A 
word  of  inquiry  to  Fairlawn  Hall,  and  the  situation 
was  disclosed.  I  hastened  here,  at  once — to  free 
Mr.  Harwood,  and  to  surrender  myself  to  the 
Court." 

"  Who  was  the  woman  ?  "  Schwartz  demanded. 

The  old  man  turned  on  him,  scornfully. 

"  Sir !  "  he  said,  "  I  did  not  recognize  her?  " 

Then,  with  another  bow  to  the  Bench,  he  walked 
slowly  to  a  chair,  a  bit  apart,  and  sat  down. 

Again  silence. 

Presently,  Judge  Charlesworth  glanced  at  the 
District  Attorney. 

"  Have  you  any  motion  in  this  case  ?  "  he  in- 
quired. 


344         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

And  Schwartz,  not  being  all  fool,  promptly  asked 
that  Harwood  be  discharged,  forthwith. 

"  Mr.  Fordyce,"  said  the  Court,  "  draw  the 
order."  Then  he  looked  down  at  Judge  Casson. 
The  latter  instantly  arose. 

"  You  have  our  sincere  thanks,  Judge  Casson, 
for  the  facts  as  to  the  death  of  Henry  Landor.  In 
disclosing  them  to  us,  you  have  acted  as  an  amicus 
curia,  and  strictly  within  the  obligation  of  your 
oath  as  an  Attorney.  We  see  in  these  facts  noth- 
ing which  calls  for  punishment.  You  would  have 
been  wholly  justified,  under  the  circumstances,  in 
killing  him,  intentionally;  and  were  it  to  come 
before  us,  we  should,  of  our  own  motion,  so  instruct 
the  jury  and  direct  your  instant  acquittal.  That 
is  all,  sir."  He  signed  the  order  Fordyce  handed 
up,  releasing  Harwood.  "  Is  there  any  further 
business,  gentlemen? — Mr.  Crier,  adjourn  the 
Court." 

Three  honor-guests  sat  at  the  Fairlawn  board, 
that  evening — the  same  who  had  sat  there,  that 
first  evening,  and  in  the  same  places.  The  house- 
party  had  not  broken.  Only  one  was  gone — 
whither  the  written  instructions,  found  in  his 
pocket-book,  directed.  Nor  was  there  any  pre- 
tense of  sorrow  among  those  who  remained.  Why 
should  there  be?  Rather,  was  it  for  happiness 
and  cheer,  that  their  host  was  with  them,  free  and 
guiltless,  and  the  mystery  cleared.  Yet  no  one 


AN  ORDER  AND  A  TOAST          345 

spoke  of  it — even  the  Ball  was  ignored.  It  was  as 
the  reunion  of  old  friends,  long  separated. 

The  impassive  Fordyce  was  tumultuously  merry. 
Evelyn  Leicester  was  lavish  with  the  soft,  side-long 
glances  of  her  splendid  eyes.  Judge  Casson  cast 
aside  the  burden  of  a  death — though,  in  truth,  it 
did  not  lie  very  heavily  upon  him — and  mellowed 
into  the  suave,  delightful  gentleman,  of  another 
day ;  Wilberf orce  dropped  the  sting  from  his 
tongue,  and  sought  only  to  be  kind.  Harwood, 
alone,  seemed  as  always,  calm,  self-contained ;  show- 
ing, not  at  all,  the  intense  happiness  in  his  heart, 
save  in  his  eyes,  when  they  rested  on  the  lovely, 
ruddy-haired  woman  by  his  side.  Yet  what  could 
even  he,  who  alone  was  aware  of  the  truth,  know 
of  the  joy  and  peace,  which  filled  her  soul? 

"  It  seems  beyond  belief — that  I  am  really  free !  " 
she  said,  softly,  after  a  silence. 

"  Free,  sweetheart !  "  he  answered.  "  And  no  one 
knows — nor  ever  shall — of  him." 

In  a  spirit  of  mischief,  she  was  carrying  the 
Highland  snuff-box,  that  evening,  using  it  for  her 
powder-puff.  It  lay  beside  her  plate. 

Taking  it  up,  he  scratched  a  word  in  Greek,  and 
a  date,  on  the  inner  side  of  the  lid. 

"  Will  you?  "  he  asked,  passing  it  to  her. 

She  glanced  at  it,  and  a  faint  pink  stole  into  face 
and  neck. 

"  Yes,  Colleton,  if  you  wish,"  she  answered ; — 
"  but  isn't  it  very  soon  ?  " 


346         THE  WOMAN  IN  QUESTION 

He  laughed  softly,  and  shook  his  head.  Then 
he  arose,  and  raised  his  glass. 

"  My  friends !  "  he  said,  taking  Mildred  by  the 
hand  and  drawing  her  up  beside  him.  "  I  ask  you 
to  drink  with  me  to — The  next  Mistress  of  Fair- 
lawn  Hall." 

With  a  shout,  they  were  up,  and  the  toast  echoed 
back  from  every  throat. 

"  Break  them  !  "  cried  the  Judge. 

As  one,  the  glasses  shattered  in  fragments  on 
the  floor. 

Fordyce  bent  over  Evelyn  Leicester,  and  spoke. 
She  smiled,  but  shook  her  head. 

"  No,  dear,"  she  said,  "  no ! — not  to-night." 


FINIS 


THE  DASHING  NOVEL 

THE 

COLONEL 

OF  THE 

RED   HUZZARS 

By 
JOHN  REED  SCOTT 

Stirring  adventures,  courtly  intrigue,  and  fencing  both 
of  sword  and  wit,  fill  the  pages  of  this  story.  The  plot  is 
built  upon  a  wager  between  Major  Dalberg,  U.  S.  A.,  and 
a  friend  that  within  a  certain  time  both  would  be  dining 
with  the  king  and  dancing  with  the  princess  royal  of  Va- 
leria. Strangely  enough,  Dalberg  proves  to  be  of  the  blood 
royal  of  Valeria,  is  reinstated  into  his  ancestral  rights,  and 
when  matters  are  about  to  reach  a  climax,  the  pretender 
steps  in,  and  there  ensues  an  encounter  between  American 
pluck  and  unscrupulous  cleverness. 

"  There's  not  a  dull  page  in  it." — The  Index,  Pittsburg. 

"  A  slap-dashing  vacation-day  romance." — Evening  Sun,  New  York. 

"  So  naively  fresh  in  its  handling,  so  plausible  through  its  naturalness, 
that  it  comes  like  a  mountain  breeze  across  the  far-spreading  desert  of 
similar  romances." — Gazette-Times,  Pittsburg. 

Illustrations   in   Colors   by    CLARENCE    F.    UNDERWOOD 
12mo.     Decorated  cloth,  $1.50 

J.   B.    LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY   Philadelphia 


A  New  Romance  Teeming  with  Love  and  Adventure 


BEATRIX 


OF   CLARE 


By  JOHN  REED  SCOTT 

Whose  "Colonel  of  the  Red  Huzzars"     (Eleven  Editions)    captured 
first  place  as  1906*3  most  dashing  novel. 

England  in  the  time  of  Richard  III  forms  the 
setting  for  this  tale  of  romance  and  adventure,  which 
takes  place  close  about  the  throne.  Beatrix,  beauty, 
heiress,  and  Countess  of  Clare,  is  won  by  the  young 
knight  and  courtier,  De  Lacy,  beneath  the  friendly 
smiles  of  both  king  and  queen,  while  their  love  affair 
is  troubled  by  abduction  and  bloodshed,  and  influenced 
by  the  great  events  which  stir  the  kingdom  and  even 
threaten  the  crown.  The  novel  is  full  of  "  go " 
from  start  to  finish. 


"Not  a  dull  line  in 
the  book." 
Pitttburg  Dispatch. 


"  The  story  is  ennobling  as 
well  as  bright  and  fascinat- 
ing." Baltimore  Sun. 


' '  Holds  the  interest 
closely  to  the  end." 

Boston  Ev.  Trantcrift 


"  Noteworthy  as  a  real  contribution  to  historical 
romance."      San  Francisco  Chronicle. 

FOUR  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  COLOR  BY 

CLARENCE  F.  UNDERWOOD. 

izmo.     Cloth,  $1.50. 

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PUBLISHERS  PHILADELPHIA 


BEAU   BROCADE 

By       BARONESS       O  R   C  Z    Y 

Author  of  "  The    Scarlet    Pimpernel"    "I  Will  Repay,"  etc. 


A  captivating  romance  of  love  and  chivalry — the 
adventures  of  a  charming  highwayman  of  the  days 
of  the  English  Pretender. 

"  Faith  and  courage  make  the  story  of  l  Beau 
Brocade '  a  very  interesting  one.  The  hero  is  delight- 
fully fascinating — bubbling  over  with  exuberance  of  youth  ; 
nothing  is  a  hardship  for  him.  He  reminds  one  of  Dumas's 
famous  D'Artagnan,  and  most  especially  in  his  fighting 
escapades.  Gloriously  dramatic  is  the  fight  in  the  forge, 
when,  by  his  prowess,  Beau  Brocade  holds  at  bay  a  lot  of 
redcoats,  escaping  on  his  steed  '  Jack  O'Lantern.' ' 

— N.  Y.  American  Book  Review  Contest. 

"  The  story  is  so  well  told,  so  full  of  life  and  action, 
that  one  never  loses  interest  from  start  to  finish." 

— Pittsburgh  Dispatch. 

"  Let  no  one  begin  reading  this  tale  late  in  the  even- 
ing, for  there  is  no  stopping-place  till  the  end,  and  the  end 
is  worth  reaching."  — The  Congregationalist,  Boston. 

"  The  illustrations  in  color  are  unusually  attractive." 

— Chicago  Tribune. 

FOUR  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  COLOR  BY 

CLARENCE  F.  UNDERWOOD. 

I2mo.     Cloth,  $1.50. 


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PUBLISHERS      PHILADELPHIA 


BY  THE  BARONESS  ORCZY 

"I  WILL  REPAY" 

A  Romance  of  the  French  Revolution 

I2mo.     Decorated  Cloth,  $1.50 


THIS  period  of  the  great  French  Revolution  appeals 
to  the  imagination  in  a  way  that  no  other  historic 
event  does.  It  was  so  very  terrible  and  yet  so 
very  recent.  The  Baroness  Orczy's  story  deals  with 
the  most  stirring  moment  of  that  exciting  time — when 
the  ' '  Law  of  the  Suspect ' '  was  in  full  force,  which 
gave  every  French  man  or  woman  the  right  to  denounce 
a  fellow  man  or  woman  to  that  awful  tribunal  of  the 
Revolution  which  knew  neither  mercy  nor  justice.  The 
romance  of  "I  Will  Repay ' '  is  concerned  with  the 
tragedy  of  a  soul-conflict  'twixt  love  and  a  mistaken 
sense  of  duty.  The  Scarlet  Pimpernel,  of  her  former 
book  of  this  title,  plays  an  important  part  in  the  devel- 
opment of  the  story  of  ' '  I  Will  Repay. " 

"A  good  story  of  action,  admirably  told." 

— Press,  Philadelphia. 

"  It  will  be  read  eagerly,  closed  with  a  long  satis- 
fied sigh. ' '  — Nashville  American. 

' '  Clever  and  well  worked  out,  its  details  related 
with  dash  and  spirit,  its  intrigue  and  devices  adroitly 
managed."  — Sun,  New  York. 

"The  story  is  well  written,  is  full  of  incident  and 
rapid  movement,  is  characterized  by  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  spirit  of  the  time,  and  displays  clear  char- 
acterization and  great  power  of  analysis  of  human 
nature.  It  is  worth  reading,  for  it  will  interest  from  the 
first  page  to  the  last ' '  — Public  Ledger,  Philadelphia. 


When  Kings  Go  Forth 
to  Battle 

By  WILLIAM    WALLACE   WHITELOCK 

Author  of  "  Tht  Literary  Guillotine"  etc. 

A  small  German  principality  is  the  seat  of 
exciting  warfare.  An  unscrupulous  king  and  a  con- 
niving "minister  of  interior  improvements"  find 
their  match  in  two  invincible  Americans  who  keep 
the  secret  of  a  young  prince's  hiding-place,  and  with 
characteristic  American  energy  join  in  a  revolutionary 
plot  to  unseat  the  reigning  monarch  and  place  the 
prince  upon  the  throne. 

"  A  story  that  grasps  our  interest  with  its  first 
chapter  and  causes  us  to  follow  breathlessly  until  the 
climax."  — Baltimore  Sun. 

"  The  prettily  tinted  illustrations  by  Frank  H. 
Desch  are  particularly  praiseworthy." 

— Philadelphia  Press. 

"Told  with  energy  and  color,  and  it  is  well  worth 

reading."  — San  Francisco  Argonaut. 

"Some  excellent  illustrations  in  color  add  to  the 
beauty  of  the  volume."  — Nashville  American. 

THREE  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  COLOR  BY 
FRANK  H.  DESCH.       izmo.       Cloth,  $1.50. 

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Return  this  material  to  the  library 

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